


Red Eyed Reaper

by SuccubustyKisses



Series: Red Eyed Reaper [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-27
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2017-11-27 02:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 42
Words: 50,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/656999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuccubustyKisses/pseuds/SuccubustyKisses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The trolls are gods, each one has a power reigning over something assigned to them by their queen. When Dave was 7 he was in an accident and the Soul Reaper made a life altering decision to save him. </p><p>This is a choose your own adventure where you will vote from the options I give to choose what happens in the next chapter!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Deadly Crash

The sound of crying fills the air. No other sound could be heard but the loud sobs of the blond child stuck in the upturned blue van.

The wreck was horrible, one of the worst he'd ever seen. The van was practically a box, no glass left unshattered, the front and back completely crushed in, the top smashed so only a small slit was left as means of entrance or escape. The wheels were all bent except for one that had completely flown off on the trip down the cliff. Smoke rose in large plumes from the car he knew was going to explode any moment.

_Sigh. Another day at work._

He walked over to the car kneeling down to peek inside at the sobbing boy. His face was red from the tears and the blood rushing to it, his body was littered with cuts and bruises, and he had the most ridiculous busted sunglasses on his face. He was scrambling and flailing trying to escape his seat belt. The paperwork said he would die in the explosion of the crash.

The reaper looked over at the mangled mess that was the boys parents. They were lucky to have died almost instantly on the way down. The boy would not be so lucky. He turned again to look at the boy, shocked when his red eyes met with the bloodshot red of the whimpering child's eyes.

The boy blinked sniffling and stared at the upside down gray face looking back at him. The face was shadowed by a black cloak crisscrossed in red. Black sunglasses covered his eyes but the boy could still read the shock in his face. He whimpered and slowly held his arms out.

The reaper chewed on his lower lip. His insides warring with him. With a strew of curses he reached his sickle into the car and sliced the seat belt. The boy fell to the roof of the car with a loud crack. He slowly clambered out of the wreckage and shaking and dizzy pushed himself into standing. The reaper quickly grabbed the souls of the dead parents and stood up.

A small hand settled into his own. The reaper looked down at the tear stained freckled face. He sighed again, he could loose his job for this. He walked the boy over to a tree a safe distance from the car just before the loud explosion of flames.

The reaper knelt down pulling the broken shades off of the boy's face. He pulled his own sunglasses away from his eyes and placed them on the boy's. "Don't fuck this up." he muttered and pat the boy on the head. Then he stood, two souls in his hand and waved his sickle.

The boy watched as a crack split open in the air, dark swirling abyss on the other side. The reaper stepped into the crack and with a final wave over his shoulder, the rift closed as if it were never there. 

Holding his broken shades tightly in his hands he stared wide eyed at the burning car and sniffled. Remembering a quote he often heard his father say he looked back to the spot figure disappeared from. "Striders don't fuck up." he mumbled, wiping the tears off his face with arm.


	2. Twelve Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Twelve years later the real story begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually a sorta choose your own adventure story. At the end of each chapter I'll post the options for what I'll type up for the next chapter and you the readers get to pick which of them happens next!  
> Unfortunately for you lovely Ao3 Readers that means you missed the voting up to chapter 16. So until the end of 16 and beginning of 17 the chapter options will be pointless!

The door opens letting the bright light from the outside in for a moment. Mismatched eyes turn from the blonde woman passed out at the counter. He smirks as his eyes connect with the ones hidden behind the so-familiar sunglasses of the boy that just entered. He looks to be in his late teens to early twenties, his blonde hair hair stopping just above his ears and his skin almost unnaturally pale. A dusting of freckles adorns his cheeks and he wears a red hooded sweatshirt and black skinny jeans. 

A blonde brow raises at the 'troll' staring at him. He looks to be around the same age as himself, but Dave knew better. His typical troll black hair is practically styled in a bowl cut, curling up a bit with his four horns, and his oval framed glasses have one red lense and one blue. He's wearing a checkered vest of red and blue over top of a black long sleeve button-up shirt, the top few buttons are undone and his sleeves rolled up. His pants are a light gray, almost matching his skin and it looks as if he put on two different shoes this morning.

Dave rolls his eyes breaking eye contact with the troll and looks around the restaurant. It was a small place, almost like a private pub, with about eight tables and a bar in the corner. There was a blonde with her head down at the bar, a near empty glass clutched in her hand and the troll crouched down on the counter over her. A few people sat eating peacefully taking up three of the tables but none of them were the boy he was looking for.

Sollux tilts his head in curiosity as he watches a scowl cross the blonde boy's features. Dave sighs dramatically and shuffles over to an empty table and flops into a chair. He pulls out his iphone and sends out a text. 

_If I'm fashionably late, what does that make you?_

"thup thrider." 

Dave glances up from his phone giving a very unamused look to the troll now crouched on top of his table. He rolls his eyes and with a sigh leans back in his chair. He pulls a bluetooth earpiece out of his pocket and pops it into his ear. "Have you seen my nerdy friend?"

Sollux rests his arms on his knees and scoffs. "Even if I have theen your friend. Why would I care? He doethn't drink, nor can he thee me. Tho there ith no fun in paying any attention to your thware friend. You on the other hand, can thee me. Tho that maketh you thomthing of interetht to me."

"Lucky me...." Dave rolls his eyes. A chime of the song 'sexy and I know it.' rings through the air and Dave picks up his phone to check the message.

_Sorry! I made a friend at the movie and got distracted talking and lost track of time._

Dave pinches the bridge of his nose and types back. 

_You went to see that stupid Nick Cage movie again didn't you?_

A few blocks away the theme for ghost busters rings out. The owner of the chiming phone stops walking for a moment to pull it out of his pocket. He has black hair in an obviously styled that way form of the bedhead look, tan skin, and thick framed square glasses over bright blue eyes. He's wearing a white Lord of the Rings shirt and khaki cargo pants. He starts walking again as he reads the message. He quickly types back his reply.

_Con Air is not stupid! Besides this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to see it in theaters!_

He drops his phone back into his pocket and turns a toothy smile at his new friend. He's a full head shorter and has messy black hair that looks more like it wasn't bothered to even be brushed. His skin is pale and he has slight bags under his worried brown eyes. He's been nervously fidgeting with the cuffs of his unnecessarily over sized black sweater for five minutes now. 

"Don't be so nervous Karkat! We're just going for lunch at a small place a little ways away. I'm sure Dave will love meeting you just like I have!" The taller of the two says patting the other on the back with a grin. 

Karkat chews on his bottom lip for a moment before letting out a sigh. "It's not this Dave boy I'm fucking worried about John." He glares up at John until he removes his hand from his back. "My ex is a... bar hopper... and we broke up on bad terms. So I'd rather not run in to him."

John's grin widens and he grabs Karkat's wrist and pulls him along. "The probability of your ex being at this place is like one in a million! It's a very small place, barely known by anyone! And if she is there just say the word and me and Dave'll protect you!"

The ghostbusters theme chimes again and John releases Karkat's arm to pull out his phone.

_Once in a lifetime only happens once John. You've seen that movie 20 times in the past week!_

John laughs and types back.

_Only seven actually. And it just gets better every time!_

Back at the restaurant sexy and I know it rings through the air causing Dave to look away from his apple juice to check his phone. He rolls his eyes again and replies.

_Just get your nerdy ass over here so I can eat._

Sollux scowls for a moment before smirking and flopping down in Dave's lap draping one arm over his shoulder. "You're a crappy friend thrider. You're thuppothed to be amuthing me." Dave simply ignores him and reaches around him to grab his drink. Sollux frowns and leans over to whisper in Dave's pierced ear. "The more you ignore me the wortht it'll be thrider." To emphasize his words Sollux sticks out his two tongues to lick the lobe right next to Dave's red gauge plug.

Dave ignores the tongues with a straight face taking a drink and returning his glass to the table. "I think you mean the more I ignore you the more amusing this will be."

"Dave!! I'm sorry I'm late but I brought my new friend!" Both Dave and Sollux look up at John pulling his new friend through the restaurant twords them. Dave freezes as he's greeted with gray skin, small horns, and the wide red eyes he's seen in his dreams almost every night since he was seven. 

Sollux's eyes widen in shock. He opens his mouth pushing himself up away from Dave's chest. No words come out so he gulps and bites his lip his eyes taking in every piece of the other troll that he can. His eyes stop roaming when he gets to the tan fingers wrapped around Karkat's wrist. 

Karkat's red eyes widen and he gulps as he watches the mismatched eyes narrow in rage. John blinks in confusion and waves his hand between Karkat and Dave. "Hey guys? Do you like, know each other or something?"

Dave quickly regains his composure and smirks over at John. Nah, I'm just surprised that you'd shack up with such an angry looking midget."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> remember I already have up to chapter 16 written!  
> Next chapter?   
> Karkat: Get the hell out of there.  
> or  
> Sollux: Take on a human disguise.


	3. Snarkiness Does Not Help Awkwardness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Strider sass in a restaurant. Every girl's dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning chapter:  
> Sollux: Take on a Human Disguise!

Sollux pushes himself up off of Dave's lap. Red and blue eyes narrowing to slits at John's hand still touching Karkat's arm. He slowly looks up into Karkat's terrified red eyes. "KK?"

Karkat gulps and chews on his lower lip but says nothing. Sollux growls and storms off towards the back of the restaurant, walking straight through the closed door like a ghost out of a movie. 

"Dave!" John giggles letting go of Karkat and pulling out a chair. "You know I'm not a homosexual." He grins and flops down in the chair reaching out he snatches up Dave's apple juice and takes a drink of it. When Dave does not instantly snatch the juice back or make a snarky remark John stops drinking and tilts his head to look at him. He just sat there staring at the bathroom door. "Hey Dave? Gotta use the bathroom or something?" Dave makes a snort but says nothing. John raises an eyebrow and turns to look at Karkat. "Hey are you gonna sit down or...." He blinks in total confusion realizing that both pairs of red eyes were completely focused on the closed bathroom door. "um... guys? You're starting to scare me."

The bathroom door flies open slamming against the wall with a loud crack. Everyone in the restaurant turns to stare as Sollux storms out. Now visible to the humans around him Sollux's human form has dark blonde, almost brown hair in the same almost bowl cut style. His eyes are still bi-colored, one blue and one green, and his skin is a light tan with a dusting of freckles across his nose, cheeks, and arms. "Karkat!" He storms over to the table and stares slightly down at the other troll. "Thith ith where you've been hiding from me? In thith crappy town with thethe humanth?"

Karkat gulps chewing on his bottom lip. John looks back and forth from the newcomer to Karkat. "Hey Karkat... are you gay?"

Sollux turns a dark glare to John and opens his mouth to say something but Dave cuts him off with a grin. "Yeah Karkat, you a homosexual?"

A deep red blush spreads across Karkat's face like wildfire as he turns to glare down at Dave wishing with all his might he could punch those very familiar looking aviator sunglasses right off his smug human face.

Sollux growls and slams a hand down on the table scowling at Dave. "Tho what if he ith?" He was not happy with these humans getting in the way of twelve years of worrying and wondering. This was his personal business and he shouldn't have had to even take this disgusting human form to talk to his mate.

Dave smirks and kicks the two unoccupied chairs out from under the table. "Sit your gay asses down and lets eat." He turns his smirk to Sollux. "Or does your ass hurt too much to sit down." He practically purrs out those words as he watches Sollux's angry frown deepen. The two slowly lower themselves into sitting Sollux glaring daggers at Dave and Karkat wringing his hands in his lap. 

"Hey! It's cool if you're gay!" John pipes in with an oblivious excited chime. "Dave's twin brother is gay and he's awesome!!"

"Well that's an obvious statement John. We're Striders. Strider's are the definition of cool. Pop open a dictionary and look up cool and all they got is a picture of me and my bros. No words, just sweet strider glory."

Sollux snorts and cracks a slight smile. He could probably grow to like the blonde boy. But only a little bit. And only if he stays out of his way.

The blood drains from Karkat's face leaving him looking sickly and pale. His eyes widen and his mouth opens in shock. He tries to talk but all that comes out is a small squeak. He swallows and licks his lips and tries again. "Did you say... Strider?"

Dave gives a smug smirk and narrows his eyes at the troll. "Yea? That's my name. Dave Strider. Want an autograph or something?"

Karkat licks his lips again. "Where did you get those sunglasses?"

"What's that Karkles? you gotta speak up if you want me to hear what you're saying over the radiating aura of cool that surrounds me."

Karkat slams his hands down on the table jerking forward to glare viciously at Dave. "WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU GET THOSE STUPID FUCKING SUNGLASSES YOU STUPID FUCKING COOL KID WANNA BE!"

John gives another bright grin and pipes in completely blowing off the angry aura around him. "Dave told me this story once! He said they were given to him by an angel who ripped his barely living body out of his parent's car after they slid off the road and down a cliff!"

Both trolls eyes widen as they stare at John, moths agape. They turn slowly in unison to stare at Dave.

Dave snatches his apple juice back from John and downs the rest before grinning at his captured audience. "You gotta romanticize everything you tell this kid like a bad movie or he just won't remember it."

Karkat takes a small shaking breath, then another. His vision blurring. "I have to go!" He shoves himself up and rushes for the door before anyone even has time to react. Sollux flinging himself up and rushing out after him.

John turns to Dave in confusion. "Did I say something wrong?"

Dave shrugs watching Sollux disappear from view. "They probably just couldn't handle the strider charm."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember these are re-writes! I already have up to chapter 16 so voting will not actually start back up until the end of chapter 16 an the beginning of chapter 17!
> 
> The options we had for these chapters?
> 
> Dave: This is stupid go be cool on another day.  
> Sollux: Catch up to your ex.


	4. A Need For Speed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat takes a trip down memory lane. And Sollux just takes a trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning vote for this chapter was:  
> Sollux: Catch up to your ex.

Sollux stops outside of the restaurant looking both ways in hopes of spotting the messy black hair and tell-tale nubby horns he loved so much. His eyes quickly lock onto Karkat as he dashes across the street, a white car skidding to a stop mere inches from him. Karkat stops for only a moment to fling up both middle fingers at the driver and screech at him to fuck off before taking off again. Sollux jumps off the steps of the restaurant in hot pursuit of Karkat.

Karkat rushes down the street cutting through a dark alleyway jumping over a homeless man sleeping in a dingy box next to a trash bin. He periodically turns to check behind him, hoping that no one is following him, but yet wishing someone did. He stops again in another alleyway, panting and taking in big gulps of stale air smelling of trash and piss. He wrinkles his nose in disgust and once he's able to catch his breath again jerks at an angle through a third alley.

Sollux runs across the street with no problems from traffic due to it still attempting to start back up after Karkat's almost accident. He darts through the alley Karkat ran through tripping over the sleeping man's legs and falling. He curses and sends a vicious glare to the poor confused man. Shoving himself up he ignores the pain in his left knee and the stinging on his scraped hands and starts running again as fast as he can. He stops at the end of the alley and looks around frantically but sees no sign of where Karkat disappeared to. 

"Looking for something bro?" An amused voice rings out from above. Sollux blinks and looks up following the fire escape up floor after floor with his eyes until he spots a messy thick black mohawk, bright brown eyes, and huge bull-like horns.

"Tavroth!!" A huge grin splits Sollux's face as he's filled with hope. "I ran into Karkat today! But he got thpooked and ran off. Have you theen him?"

"Well." Brown eyes sparkle with mischief as Tavros taps a well manicured finger on his chin in mock thought. "I did see a nubby horned ex-god run by. But that could have been any exiled death god. There's no guarantee that it's Karkat."

Sollux gives Tavros a very unamused look, obviously not amused by the younger god's antics. "Which way did he go, we don't want him to get away!"

"Um... I don't see why you should care." Tavros turns an angry glare down at him. "You're not intending to cheat on my sister... are you?"

Sollux bites his lip swallowing the bile rising up in his throat. Yeah, he forgot about Aradia as soon as he saw Karkat walk in the restaurant's tacky red door. But... would he pick his hot tempered ex-lover who disappeared without a trace and caused his demotion from god of destruction to god of celebration over his loveable frog obsessed adventurous goddess of preservation? He sighs "No. I jutht want to help him. It'h been twelve yearth Tavroth. He'h been alone with no contact from any other god for twelve yearth! Wouldn't you be lonely? Plus... Don't you mith him?"

Tavros grins flashing a mouth full of sharp fangs and hops off the fire escape, landing with a loud clang on the concrete in front of Sollux. Steam shoots out around him as he straightens up. He's wearing an unbuttoned black shirt flashing a light dusting of chest hair, and black cargo shorts. His legs were a sleek metal still letting off a light stream of steam as he straightened them with the humming of well made gears. He smirks and wiggles his eyebrows before walking a short distance down the street and hopping into a bright red corvette convertible with black flames running down the sides. "Hop in bro. I suppose I can um... help you out. But this means you owe me." He winks with a mischievous smile.

sollux grins and runs over jumping into the car in a much less graceful manner than his large horned counterpart. His ass barely hits the seat before the car shoots off down the street swerving around the thick city traffic like it's not even there. "Geeth Tavroth! Thlow down!!"

Tavros laughs loudly and jerks the wheel barely missing clipping a tanker truck and a minivan full of gawking children. "I'm not the god of speed for nothing! Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

A few blocks away Karkat stands leaning against a rickety rusted railing on a small staircase in front of his apartment panting. He looks around him until he's satisfied that no one has followed him. Wiping the sweat from his forehead he nods to himself deciding he's safe and digs into his pocket for his key. He tugs it out, just a simple key attached to the crab charm he's cherished for 15 years. 

He steps up to the cracked and tattered red door looking down at the crab, memories clouding his mind. Memories of his first trip to the human attraction known as Disney world. Of getting onto the teacups in excitement, and then horror when Tavros gets in across from him. The teacups spinning too fast and his stumach rolling. Memories of vomiting in the trash can just outside of the ride, and the warm hand rubbing gently along his spine. Memories of sitting down at a table as a cold drink is pressed against his forehead and looking up into the mismatched eyes of his friend he had to beg to come with them. And memories of the warm feeling that filled his chest as a small crab key chain was dangled in front of his face with a "feel better thoon idiot." and the light yellow blush that crossed his friend's cheeks.

Moisture dripping onto the palm of his hand next to the charm brings Karkat back to himself. With a frown he scrubs at the red tears escaping from his eyes with one sleeve and gripping the crab tightly in his other hand as he shakingly tries to get his key into the lock.

Tavros swerves the car around a corner nearly running over a silver haired old woman and her prissy looking dog before skidding to a stop in front of the run down apartment buildings. In truth, the speed demon had known where Karkat was for many years now, having come across him a long while ago while he was running through the park. He'd decided to keep an eye on his old friend, and to make sure he didn't do anything that would hurt his beloved big sister.

He still had his doubts that he should be doing this. But he can't keep Sollux and Karkat apart forever. He'll just have to make sure nothing happens between the two or he'll make sure both gods are left in a world of pain.

Sollux glares at Tavros slowly prying his fingers off of the chair where he dug them into the leather in the terror of the ride. "You almost killed uth you crazy ath!"

Tavros grins smugly. "I got us where we needed to go. And you better hurry up. Unless you um... want to miss him."

Sollux jerks his head around to see Karkat hunched over at an old door with faded chipping red paint, scrubbing his sleeve against his eyes and shoving his key into the lock. "Thit!" He curses shoving himself out of the car stumbling as his feet re-adjust themselves to standing still after his wild ride. Tavros sits back and watches as Sollux wobbles up the steps with help of the creaking rusty railing and grabs ahold of the small troll at the door. 

Karkat jerks ripping his arm away from the slender fingers that wrapped around his upper arm. Turning swiftly he swings his fist connecting with Sollux's Jaw with a loud crack. 

Sollux stumbles back, only the railing keeping him upright. His hands shoot up to his mouth and a fang falls out into his palm covered in thin yellow blood. He looks up in shock, blood slowly leaking from the corner of his mouth as wide red eyes stare back at him.

"Fuck! Sol I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to... let me see! here I can fix this. I can..." Karkat sighs heavily remembering he had no powers to heal like he used to. His hands curl into a fist and drop to his side, the crab pressing painfully into his palm as he watches the trail of yellow run down Sollux's chin.

"Karkat..." Sollux steps forward slowly placing his free hand on the shorter god's shoulder. "Where have you been? Why didn't you TELL me?" 

Karkat cringes and looks down, tears threatening to escape from his eyes again. "I couldn't do it Sol. I couldn't kill that boy. Even knowing he grows up to be a cocky asshole. I still couldn't have killed him."

Sollux's cold forehead presses against Karkat's overheated sweaty one as his hand moves up to gently rub along his jaw. "We could have run away together. Like the god of love in Disciple's stories she'd tell us in our youth."

Karkat looks to the side, fidgeting with his key and the beloved crab attached to it. "I couldnt bring you down any further than I already had."

The loud screech of a car horn causes both boys to jerk turning to stare at Tavros. Brown eyes narrowed viciously in their direction. Sollux's hand drops and he steps back biting his lip and looking away.

"What the fuck Tavros! What are you DOING here!?" Karkat growls stomping down the steps to the side of the sparkling car. "And where the hell did you get this sweet fucking car!?"

Tavros grins and runs his fingers affectionately along the steering wheel waggling his eyebrows at Karkat. "Lets just say I was in the right place at the right time. So... You gonna just stand there gawking. Or you um.... wanna go for a ride?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder these are re-writes so no voting until the end of chapter 16!
> 
> The options for the next chapter given on this chapter were:
> 
> Karkat: take the most terrifying ride of your life  
> Sollux: interrupt the reunited friends and drag them upstairs for a serious talk.  
> Dave: go to the park with john.


	5. A Little Crabby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning Vote for this chapter was:  
> Sollux: Interrupt and drag them inside for some serious talk time.

Karkat grins flashing fangs and opens the car door in childish excitement. "Fuck yeah I wanna ride in this thing!"

Knowing the danger in leaving anyone's life in the hands of the completely uncontrolled driving skills of the speed demon, especially Karkat who was no longer immortal, Sollux quickly rushes up and grabs a hold of Karkat's wrist before he can even step one foot into the car. "I think we thould go inthide for a talk inthead."

Tavros puffs out his cheeks and quivers his lip in a sarcastic pout in Sollux's direction before dramatically shutting his car off. Karkat stares down at the hand on his wrist for a moment. Slowly he follows the arm up until he meets with the two-toned eyes he still dreams about. With an angry scowl he rips his wrist away and slams the door shut. With a loud exasperated huff he storms up the steps and unlocks the door to his apartment disappearing inside. The red door left wide open.

Tavros sends a vicious glare in Sollux's direction carefully checking that his car was okay after the angry slam. With a snort he stomps past Sollux and up the steps into the apartment, barely resisting the urge to slam the door shut behind him. Sollux sighs and stuffs his fang into his pocket following the two angry boys into the apartment and shutting the door softly behind him.

Sollux looks around the apartment, simple white walls decorated with posters from various different human movies, mostly romance from the look of it, tables littered with unorganized movie cases, shelves packed full of DVD's and VHS. Four fish tanks varying in size take up what little space isn't occupied with movies. Tavros leans over one of the larger tanks with a huge grin splitting his face.

Karkat storms into the room holding three plastic cups filled with clear red liquid. He stomps across the room an slams them down on the table in front of the couch causing one to splash a bit onto the table. With a loud curse he storms off into the kitchen for paper towels. Sollux sighs and shakes his head as he walks over to the smallest of the tanks and peeks inside. A few over decorated shells scatter across a sand filled bottom, a small hermit crab peeking out of one at him.

A smile spreads across Sollux's face shortly followed by a flinch of pain from the reminder that, yes his cheek was in fact quite swollen and painful right now from its lovely meeting with Karkat's fist. He puts his hand on his cheek rubbing it gently as he scoots over to glance into the next tank. This tank was filled with crystal clear water. Coral taking up a vast majority of it. Three red and white spotted crabs randomly scuttle across the coral.

Arguments of the past cloud his mind as Sollux watches the crabs move about the tank. Karkat getting sick on their group trip to Disney world thanks to Tavros's maniac obsession with making everything go fast. Going to buy a water and seeing the small display of key chains by the register. Picking up the red crab one with excitement and forking over way too much money for it. Pressing the cold bottle of water against his neck and dangling the key chain in front of his face. Watching sick red eyes morph in fury and hearing him ask why the fuck you would buy something so completely and utterly stupid like a stupid generic crab key chain. Laughing and telling him it's because he's always so crabby that it fits him perfectly. Grinning like a cat with a canary as he calls you every name in the book, and some you think he made up on the spot. Leaning over and cutting him off mid insult with the hard press of your lips against his. The foul taste that comes with it. Your first kiss really would have been more romantic if he hadn't been vomiting so much just moments before.

A loud squalk of shock snaps him out of his memories causing him to jump and look wide eyed at Tavros. He's still standing at the biggest tank, his back to it and one hand behind his back. He looks over at Sollux with wide eyes. Then jerks his head over to Karkat who stands bent over the table cleaning up the mess glaring up at him. A completely childish guilty smile spreading across Tavros's lips as he tries to play it innocent.

Karkat's scowl deepens and he stands up straight. "What the fuck did you do!?"

Tavros's grin gets nervous, twitchy. "Nothing?"

Sollux and Karkat turn in unison to give each other a highly unbelieving look before turning back to stare at Tavros. 

Tavros laughs, a slight copper blush spreading across his cheeks as he moves to run his hand through his hair in his common nervous twitch. Obviously forgetting why he was nervous to begin with when he comes face to face with the angry fiddler crab latched on to his index finger. Brown eyes widen and he screeches like a girl as the smaller of the crabs claws reaches out in an attempt to grip his nose. He jerks back smacking into the tank.

Sollux rushes forward barely catching the tank before it tips over onto the floor. Karkat dashes over snatching Tavros's wrist before he can shake it and send his beloved pet flying across the apartment. With soft chirps Karkat pets the angry crab holding his hand out to catch it when it calms down and releases the now bloody finger. "WHAT THE UNLOVING FUCK TAVROS!!? WHY WOULD YOU STICK YOUR FUCKING FINGER IN A FISH TANK FULL OF CRABS!? WHAT KIND OF STUPID THOUGHTS WERE RUNNING THROUGH YOUR MIND THAT WOULD MAKE YOU THINK THAT IT WAS A FUCKING GOOD IDEA!?"

Tavros gulps and looks to the side in shame. "Well... I just uh... thought I could pet it?"

Karkat grumbles and carefully sets the poor terrified crab into the tank, assuring that all five fiddler crabs are there and accounted for he proceeds to help Sollux push the tank back in it's proper position on the table. He jerks around glareing daggers at Tavros who simply grins and walks over flopping down on the couch, grabbing a glass and downing the content. "Oh! It's Kool Aid!" he chimes with excitement.

Sollux looks down at the obviously well loved crabs, noting that they'd all calmed down with Karkat's earlier chirps and now just scuttled about calmly. He smiles and glances up at Karkat catching his red eyes and the red blush that creeps across his face. With a smirk he moves to sit on the couch next to Tavros, Karkat following.

"Tho, thith talk." He starts out picking up a glass of Kool Aid and sipping it. "Leth thart with the moth important part. Where the hell have you been and why didn't you contact me!?"

Karkat looks down at his hands, shame barely showing on his face. "Around. Here and there. Being mortal, doing my human thing. Living out my fucking life sentence like a man."

"Have you even TRIED to get your godhead back!?" Sollux sounds hurt as he watches the smaller god fidget nervously with his hands. "That boy. The one you were supposed to kill that night. IF you kill him, they'll let you come back. You'll get your powers back. You can come back home."

Karkat turns a vicious glare up at Sollux. "WHO THE FUCK SAID I WANTED TO GET MY GODHEAD BACK!? ALL OF THE FUCKING RULES I HAD TO FOLLOW. THE FUCKING TERROR OF LIVING UNDER THAT STUPID FISH BITCH'S RULE. FUCK THAT!! MAYBE I'M HAPPY HERE! MAYBE I ENJOY BEING A FUCKING MORTAL! MAYBE THE THOUGHT OF LIVING A MORTAL LIFE AND DYING AN OLD FUCKING MAN MAKES ME HAPPY!!! MAYBE I'LL GET A HUMAN WIFE AND HAVE MILLIONS OF FUCKING CHILDREN AND LIVE A HAPPY FUCKING LIFE WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT ALL THE STUPID SHIT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO BE A FUCKING GOD!!!"

Sollux glares back, squeezing the cup tightly in his hands. "Tho you're just going to give up? On being a god? On coming back home? On your friends and family? On US!?"

Tavros casually clears his throat setting the empty glass down on the table and turning to face the other two. "Um... Sollux. Didn't you already give up? After all, you're mated with my sister. And that was YOUR choice.... wasn't it?"

Karkat's eyes widen. He stares at Tavros in disbelief. When no objection follows he slowly turns to stare into Sollux's pale face, watching as he worries his lip with his fangs.

Sollux gulps and digs his claws into his palms. Wincing when the biting on his lip causes him to remember his earlier injury. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. Then turns sad desperate eyes to Karkat. "I have my reathonth for mating with Aradia. You know I-"

Karkat shoves himself up and stomps across the apartment to the door. He yanks it open and presses his face against it whispering. "Get out."

Sollux stands up and moves over to Karkat, holding his hand out in hopes of grabbing his arm. "Lithen to me KK! I-"

"GET THE FUCK OUT! BOTH OF YOU! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE AND STAY OUT OF MY FUCKING HUMAN LIFE! FOREVER!!"

Tavros stands up and walks to the door. He grabs Sollux by the back of his shirt and pulls him out of the apartment. The red door slams shut behind them, paint sprinkling down from the impact. Yellow tears well up in bi-colored eyes as Sollux jerks his furious gaze to Tavros. "Why would you thay that!?"

Tavros gives an equally vicious glare back down at the four horned god. "Because... You need to remember who your mate is."

Sollux's hand moves quickly cracking against Tavros's cheek with a loud crack. Growling he turns away. "How could i forget. The thaved my heart."

Karkat stands on the other side of the door listening. HIs forehead pressed against the worn red wood. Red tears streaking down his cheeks as his legs give out. He slides down the door, his claws digging into the abused wood and starts to sob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REMINDER THAT THESE ARE REWRITES UP UNTIL CHAPTER 16!
> 
> The options for the next chapter WERE  
> (on to a new day!)  
> John: Meet up with Karkat at the movies  
> Dave: be cool with the goddess of cool  
> Tavros: Visit your sister.


	6. A Gathering of Cool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> secret plot device inserts? maaaayyyybbbeeeee!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winner of this chapter?  
> Dave: Be cool with the goddess of cool.

Dave yawns and stretches out on the park bench turning his head to watch the 'trolls' and their skateboards in the clearing in front of him. He'd learned shortly after his parents death that some of them came here to play human once a week. At first he came to watch them out of curiosity. Now it was just part of his routine. Plus he kinda likes this particular group, even the one that tried to kill him. Not that he'd tell them that.

He watches as a tall scrawny girl with huge slightly curved horns and two black braids running down to her ankles grinds her board down the long stairwell railing. She shoots off the edge and flips in the air landing a sweet upside-down hi 5 with a girl with short choppy hair and cat-like horns wearing a blue beanie and a green sweater. She lands easily on her board and rolls off doing a smug circle around a boy wearing a yellow shirt with a bee on the front, a matching helmet, messy black hair sticking out underneath it, and reflective ski goggles. The boy looks flustered for a moment and starts stomping up the steps.

A curtain of black cascades down blocking the scene. He turned his head with a raised brow bumping noses with the owner of the curtain of hair around him. A perfect straight smile spreads across the lips that take up his field of vision. "Hey cool kid. You gonna join in today?" With quick skillful work she flips over the back of the bench and sits on Dave's legs. Dave grumbles frowning at her and yanks his feet out from under her.

She has long black hair that seems to fall perfectly no matter what acrobatics she pulls off and cone-like pointed horns. Today she's wearing red sunglasses and an Assassin's Creed tee shirt. He sits up and smirks at her. "You know my sick grinds would just show up every one of you to the point that none of you would ever wanna touch your cheezy skateboards again."

Light flashes off of the sunglasses as she laughs and turns to look at him. "Of course you would bro. Show up all us naughty gods and make us see how cool I made you. All those mad skills I gave you. Shit bro show them all how awesome my powers really are!"

Dave turns back to watch the group again. He watches as the boy in the helmet pushes himself up off the steps. Dave frowns sad he missed him falling. "You give yourself too much credit Latula. You may be the goddess of cool. But, I'm way out of your league. No one can create the Strider swag. We're just too cool, even for you! Penguins freeze over from our cool. Polar bears light fires to try and chase away the cool Strider breeze. We Striders can sink the titanic with the iceburg of cool we create.

Latula laughs and punches him in the arm. "You have such a way with words bro. But seriously. You should join us before you die. I think you'll have one hell of a time hanging out with us cool kids." 

Dave shrugs propping his head on his hand and leaning against the side of the bench as he watches the boy in the helmet start moving around and gaining speed. "Speaking of death. I met the dude who's supposed to kill me the other day."

Latula's eyes widen and she turns to stare at Dave. "For real? You met Karkat? THE Karkat? Did he try to kill you? How'd you escape?"

Dave laughs rolling his eyes. "He saw how far out of his league I am and ran out the door with his tail between his legs. A real wimp that one. As soon as he realized who I was he ran."

Latula cackles and turns back to watching just as the helmeted boy jumps up to grind down the railing. "Just because he doesn't want to confront you doesn't mean you're safe Dave. Karkat has quite a following, it's practically a cult. They all want to bring him back into his godhead. And all they have to do to get there is to kill you. Then they get their wish." Dave shrugs distracted by the helmeted boy flying through the air and colliding with a nearby tree.

"WHY THE FUNKSING HAEL DO YOU HAVE TO SHOW OFF SO FUCKING MUCH MEEEEENAAHHHHHHH" The boy starts screaming obscenities from the ground flailing about with his hands on his helmet. Dave shakes his head.

Latula sighs lovingly and smiles watching as he rolls around on the ground cursing. "He's so cute, isn't he? Truly perfect."

Dave snorts rolling his eyes. "What do you see in him anyways? You're the goddess of cool and you're dating the king of clutz. Seriously he falls down so much I'm surprised he's even able to walk." 

A grin splits Latula's face. "Mituna is perfect. Every girl's fantasy. Every boy's too. Like for real. That's his power."

Dave raises a brow. "His power? Wait... Fantasy? He's the god of FANTASY? THAT!? That is the god of fantasy?"

Latula cackles and waggles her brows. "Imagination actually. Everything you imagine, every thought you have, all those sick beats you write out. They're all thanks to him. Without him this world would be booooooring."

Dave's jaw drops as he watches the helmeted boy finally stop flailing and stand up. He brushes himself off and sulks looking down at the ground and apologizing to the girl with the braids. "But why is he so.... off?"

"He used too much power once. It kinda fried his brain. He's got an awesome scar too." She lifts her bangs and points to the left side of her forehead. "Right here."

"What reason would he possibly have to use that much power?"

Latula's smile looks almost sad as she glances over at Dave. "Mituna isn't like other gods Dave. He wasn't hatched and cultivated like most of us. He was born, just like a human. He's a pure blood god. A lot of the older gods don't like the pure blooded trolls. They see them as a disruption to the order of our world. So they try to take them out before they come into power, usually when they're just little boys."

Dave runs a hand through his hair looking down at the ground. "So you're saying they tried to kill him. But his powers came up to save him?"

Latula nods. "Yeah, but it was too much for his young body and it fried his brain. But, even with his wires crossed, That kid is the strongest god our age."

Dave stands up shoving his hands into his pockets. "I think you're just a lovestruck sissy. That's not a cool look you know."

Latula laughs. "I can't love Dave. The god of love is dead. But I am quite fond of him. You're just jealous that he's too cool to turn his attention to someone like you."

Dave laughs and turns walking off. Leaving the 'trolls' to play on their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember no actual voting will be needed until the end of chapter 16!
> 
> The options for the next chapter were:  
> Dave: Blow this popsicle stand  
> Sollux: Stalk Dave  
> Sollux: Stalk Karkat


	7. A Strider Protects It's Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author is mean and gives you a lack of details on purpose to make you curious as to what the fuck is going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning vote for this chapter was
> 
> Sollux: Stalk Dave.

Sollux glances around the tree he's hiding behind, the hood of his oversized yellow hoodie drawn over his head as he runs over to the next tree. He started out his day following Karkat. Just to make sure he's living okay! Nothing bad! It's not like he's a stalker or anything!! But, as he was following the ex-god into the park he glanced over and saw a blonde laying down on a bench with the goddess of cool leaning so-close to him it seemed intimate. At first he honestly thought they were kissing! 

As soon as he realized that the blonde was in fact Dave Strider he knew he had to follow him. This was the man who held the fate of his ex-love! Sollux just had to see what was so special about him. What could have made this boy so great that Karkat would give up everything for him? Would give up Sollux himself?

So he stayed and watched. When Dave gets up to leave he pulls his hood closer around his face and follows him. Weaving his way through the trees in the park towards the busy city. Sollux knew no one other than a god, and for some reason this Strider boy, could see him but he still keeps his hood up to cover his face. Just in case Dave turns around.

He peeks around the gate to the park satisfied that Dave is a safe distance away, without being too far that he'd loose track. Stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets he turns and casually walks down the street following the bright smear of blonde hair and red sweatshirt.

Dave stops and turns to go into a corner store sending a casual wave to the cashier as he heads for the coolers in the back. He grabs a couple bottles of apple juice and orange soda and trudges back up front to pay. He flirts a bit with the cashier before walking out pocketing his phone number. 

A shadow darts across the street drawing Dave's red eyes up to the roof of the building across the street. He smirks as he spots the flash of black and green jumping across the buildings and disappearing on another roof. "He's getting better." He mutters to himself as he turns and starts walking home with his bag.

Sollux looks up at the roof in confusion trying to find what Dave was staring at for so long, but seeing nothing. Rolling his eyes in exasperation he hurries along after the young Strider who was now disappearing around a corner.

A pale hand clad in fingerless leather gloves darts out of an alley near the end of the street and clutches the back of Sollux's sweatshirt yanking him into the darkness. A sharp blade presses against his neck, slicing easily through his gray skin causing a small trickle of yellow to escape. He gulps.

"So." A deep voice whispers in his ear. "How about instead of following my little bro around all day you tell me what it is you're after and I'll think about not killing you." He turns his head as far as the blade will allow in an attempt to see the speaker.

"How can you thee me?" Sollux cringes as the blade bites deeper into his neck as he speaks.

The man chuckles. "It's a Strider thing."

"Tho all of you can thee uth?" Sollux's eyes widen. "How many of you ARE there?"

The man slowly pulls his sword away from Sollux's neck. Moving it down to his side and stepping back. Sollux turns and looks up at the fit blonde with spiky hair barely held under a white ballcap and ridiculous triangular shades. He's wearing all black. Leather coat undone over a tight fitting black shirt and black pants. Only his belt, hat, and shoes seem to be white.

A smug smirk plays across the man's lips as he raises a brow down at him. "I could have sworn I was the one asking the questions here. So how about you and me go to the cafe around the corner and have a nice chat about why it is you're following my brother, and why I shouldn't kill you for it.

Sollux takes a step back towards the street, moving to run but an echoing click sounds from above his head stopping him mid step. His eyes dart up to twin golden guns pointing down at him. The holder of the guns is tan with windswept black hair and square black glasses. He's wearing a black suit with a gray bowtie. "Okay, okay. Ith not like you're leaving me much choith in the matter."

The guns lower slowly and the boy jumps from his perch on the roof landing neatly next to the other man. He stands up straight coming up to the other man's ridiculous sunglasses. Both men casually put their weapons away and move to stand on either side of Sollux. With an exasperated sigh Sollux lets out some power and takes on his human form. The three leave the alley and begin walking down the street. "Tho... do you alwath thalk your brother around the thity? Or did I jutht get lucky and pick the one day you dethided to play creeper?"

The blonde glances down at short god and shrugs. "Sometimes I like to see how long it takes for him to notice we're behind him. Gotta keep him on his toes."

The dark haired man chuckles drawing Sollux's gaze to him. "I'm getting better too! It took him a few more blocks this time than the last one!"

"You are indeed a good apprentice." The blonde chuckles back, pride filling his voice. The dark haired man pouts like a child. His green eyes moving to look down and his mouth shutting into a childish frown.

Sollux raises a brow as they turn to enter the cafe. They each get their own respective drinks and claim a table in the corner. The blonde slouches into one chair and props his feet up in another. The dark haired one turns his chair around backwards and flops into it arms crossed across the back and chin resting on them. Sollux slowly takes the last chair with a sigh. "Tho. What ith it you want to know?"

The blonde tips back in his chair. "Everything that involves my brother."

"Well, long thory thort. Twelve yearth ago my mate, a death god, wath ordered by our queen, the condethe, to kill a family that had angered her. Tho he cauthed them to crath their car over a mountain. But when he got to the car the young boy in the back wath thill alive. Thomthing made him want to thave thith boy. Tho inthead of taking hith thoul. He pulled him out of the car and left. To punith him for dithobeying her orderth the queen thententhed him to mortality and thent him to earth to age and die juth like a human. Unleth he findth and killth the boy he thaved."

The black haired boy tilts his head. "So you were trying to kill Dave? You?"

"No!" Sollux's eyes widen and he looks back and forth from the two men his hands raised in defence. "I juth want to thee what maketh him tho thpethial. Why would kk dithobey the queen and throw everything out for him? I thill don't thee it." Sollux grabs his tea gripping tightly. The porcelain cracking under the force of his grip.

The blonde sets his chair back down on all four feet. Moving his feet off the other chair he turns to face Sollux head on. "Do you really want to know what makes us so special?" Sollux nods slowly looking up from his now leaking cup into the man's serious face and ridiculous sunglasses.

"Jake?" The blonde glances over at the darker haired man, then around at the others in the cafe before turning his gaze back to Sollux's.

"I got your back Bro." Jake nods to him.

Sollux's eyes widen to the point that it starts to actually hurt as Bro moves to show him the reason. His mind goes blank in shock his jaw dropping. He closes his mouth, opens it again, and closes it again like a fish.

Jake chuckles. "The reactions never get old."

Bro raises a brow over at his partner. "If I remember correctly Mr. English. You screamed like a little girl and tried to shoot me."

Jake flushes and puffs his cheeks out in a pout. "I was thirteen! And that was not the best of circumstances for me."

Bro laughs. Sollux just stares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS IS RE-WRITES UNTIL THE END OF CHAPTER 16 I WILL TELL YOU WHEN TO VOTE! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME VOTING THE CHAPTERS ARE ALREADY WRITTEN I'M JUST ADDING MORE DETAILS INTO THEM.
> 
> The options we had for the next chapter were  
> Dave: Bring your twin some orange soda.  
> Sollux: Try and figure out what you just saw.
> 
> DO NOT VOTE!


	8. Armed & Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I felt bad because the votes were neck and neck the whole time so I put in key clues to both options.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning chapter was:  
> Dave: Bring your twin an Orange Soda

Dave leans over in the fridge shoving a few short swords aside to place the drinks he bought onto the shelf inside. He grabs one apple juice and one orange soda and shuts the door. Turning from the kitchen that's completely cluttered with paper, weapons, and puppets he heads for the door to the basement. Loud music and banging, buzzing, and even curses comes from behind the basement door. A common sound in the Strider household. Dave rolls his eyes as another stream of foul language comes bellowing out over the music as he pulls open the door. Dave stomps down the steps into the gray painted brightly lit basement diving at the last few steps to avoid the robotic projectile coming at him.

The basement is cluttered with metal, papers, and wires. A workbench set up near the center with a blonde glareing solid orange eyes in Dave's direction. His hair is set up in spikes, a pair of work goggles propped up on top of his head. He's wearing an orange tank top stained with dirt and oil and black jeans. Finally noticing Dave standing at the end of the steps he grins flashing a slight amount of fang and rubs his hand on his chest leaving another greasy smear down the front. His eyes start to bleed back into normal human type, well, except the bright color as he takes his goggles off and pulls his triangular sunglasses over them.

Dave walks over and shuts off the way too loud music before handing over the orange soda to his twin brother. "Sup Dirk?" he asks nodding his head in the direction of the robotic arm that now sat in the corner of the room.

Dirk shrugs while he opens his drink and takes a large gulp. With a satisfied sigh he looks back at his notes on the workbench. "I think I made it too small."

Dave turns a raised brow over at his brother before taking a calm drink of his apple juice. "Too small for what?"

Dirk blinks, slowly tilting his head in thought. "You know... I didn't think to ask. I just got the job request for a robotic arm and took it.

Dave laughs and rubs his hand in his brother's hair. "You always were one for getting details on everything but what you actually needed. If you don't know what it's for how can you know that it's too small?"

"It's not." A deep voice echos out from the corner causing both blondes to jerk their heads and stare. Twin shaded eyes meet cracked shaded eyes as the owner of the voice stands up holding the arm delicately in his hands. He has long straight black hair pulled back at the nape of his neck, broken rectangluar sunglasses, and dark gray skin. One of his horns was broken, sharp edges jutting only halfway up compared to the other which points at the end like an arrow. His arms are thick with muscles and a tattoo of a herd of horses gallops down his right one. He's wearing a black tank top and gray pants with boots.

Dirk pulls himself up to sit on his workbench pulling his knee up and propping his chin on it. "So it's not too small? Cool."

The god grins flashing a few broken fangs as he holds the arm up to take in the details. "No. This is perfect. The best gift for my neighbor's birthday."

Dave glances at the delicate feminine arm, then back up at the god of strength. "So Equius." He teases with a grin. "You gonna use this arm to ask her out?"

Equius bites his lip and begins sweating. He starts to make a fist but quickly stops when a slight crack sounds from the arm still in his grip. "I would never ask Vriska out! She is the goddess of Luck. Much too high in power to even consider being with a weakling god like myself. I know my boundaries. Besides, she's still obsessed with her dead mate."

The brothers laugh and Dirk runs a hand through his hair almost checking to ensure that it's staying in place. "You're the god of strength." he chuckles. "Isn't that the exact opposite of weak?"

Equius pulls a cloth from his pocket and wipes his face. He shoves the cloth back in his pocket and fidgets nervously with the arm. "Luck is one of the highest grades of power among our people. You cannot control luck. Strength can be controlled. You should really learn which people to befriend and which to avoid before the condense notices you."

Dave rolls his eyes. "Isn't the constant threat of your people trying to kill us a realization that we've already BEEN noticed?"

Equius pulls the cloth out again setting the arm down carefully on a shelf. He wipes his face and neck nervously. "Well yes... but those people know WHO you are. Not WHAT you are. I only know because of Nepeta. Besides, they're only trying to kill you to get their wishes. Or bring back Karkat." He shoves the cloth back in his back pocket.

Dave sits down on a nearby stool and pulls his foot up resting his chin on his knee mirroring his twin. "I met this Karkat, the guy who saved me when I was little. He didn't seem to WANT to come back. Honestly the way he ran away from that troll that makes everyone drunk you'd think he just wanted to be left alone."

Equius turns to stare down at Dave. "You met Karkat? He's here in this area? And he's met up with his old mate?" A look of hope crosses his face. "Did they get back together? Is Aradia Available again?"

Dave holds his hands out in front of him at the onslaught of questions. "Calm your horses there you're going too fast. He's apparently friends with my friend John. Though John still can't see you guys so that's a bit weird to me.... Hey." Dave turns to look at Dirk. "Did you ever figure out why Jake could see them?"

Dirk chokes on the drink he was taking and coughs orange soda everywhere. Equius moves over holding out the cloth from his pocket. Dirk makes a face and quickly reaches over for his own grease covered cloth to wipe the drink from his face and hands.

Dave tilts his head in curiosity. "Dirk... what aren't you telling me about your little boy-toy? Twins are supposed to share everything with each other you know. It's rude to keep secrets from me."

Dirk looks quickly away and starts fiddling with a robotic rabbit skeleton sitting on his workbench. "I don't know what you're talking about. The drink just went down the wrong pipe is all."

Seeing the tension in the air between the two boys Equius places the stack of bills down on a shelf and picks up the arm. In a poof of blue smoke he disappears leaving the two to sort out their problems alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REMEMBER THESE ARE RE-WRITES UNTIL THE END OF CHAPTER 16 PLEASE DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME VOTING
> 
> The options for the next chapter were.  
> Gamzee: Attack Dave  
> Jake: Keep trying to make up with Dirk.


	9. Not All Clowns Are Funny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the writer realizes how hard it is to write action scenes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning votes for this chapter was:  
> Gamzee: Attack Dave

Dave lunges to the side in a very uncool fashion narrowly avoiding the heavy juggling pin smashing into the brick wall beside his head. Cracks splintering up the walls upon impact like glass. He flings himself back to his feet and starts running, re-adjusting his shades as he flies out of the alleyway using his natural strider speed to dodge through traffic as he darts across the street and into the next closest alley.

His attacker turns crazed solid purple eyes on the retreating human. He has curly hair sticking out everywhere in a completely untamed fashion and horns that go up in almost a wave effect. His face was painted similar to that of a clowns and he wore a bright purple shirt with a sort of clown face printed on it and purple spotted baggy pants. A feral smile splits his face showing a mouthful of dangerous teeth as he watches the blonde disappear in the dark alley. He tosses one juggling pin into the air catching it in the same hand that holds the other and crouches down. With inhuman force he shoots into the air grabbing hold of a fire escape with his empty hand. He pulls himself up and shoots himself up again to the next level up, then again five more times before settling gracefully on his feet on the edge of the roof.

A chuckle escapes the insane clown's lips as he watches Dave leave the alley across the street and head for the park he knew some of his kind often visits. He shoves himself forward landing with a loud crack in the street below, swinging his right hand casually sending pieces of passing by cars flying in the air with his heavy juggling pins. Confused motorists cry out in anger and frustration skidding to a stop, many of them getting out of their cars to curse at each other. The clown just grins and walks on unseen by the humans as he moves away from the street and through the alley following the doomed human boy.

Dave pulls himself up into a tree looking behind him to see if he'd been followed. This is the third time he's met with Gamzee. The first started out peaceful but once Dave explained about the car accident where he'd gotten his beloved shades the clown's pupils narrowed, his eyes bled into solid purple, and he just... snapped. Now every time Dave comes into contact with the god of music he ends up running for his life.

Dave knows better than to try and fight back. He tried the first time they met and if it weren't for Bro being nearby and snatching him away Dave knew he'd be dead. That was the time when Dave learned that the trolls had a price placed on his head; should any of them succeed in bringing his head in to their queen they would get one wish granted by her.

Gamzee's soft honks echo throughout the trees as he slowly walks through the park casually tossing one juggling pin in the air as he goes. Dave freezes, turning his head to watch the tall clown striding towards him. The murderous look on his face as he turns his gaze to stare right into Dave's eyes the only thing giving away his destination. Dave lunges out of the tree and into another. He dives from tree to tree knowing if he just reached the area where the other trolls were playing that he'd be safe. Gamzee always stopped following him every time there was a risk of the others seeing him.

Gamzee surges forward chasing after the frantic Strier, his long legs quickly allowing him to catch up with the boy. He jumps up onto a tree branch just as Dave lands on it and swings his left arm sending splinters of wood flying throughout the air. Dave leaps up from his crouch flinging himself to the next tree and then off onto the ground. Gamzee honks with laughter and hops out of the tree to resume his casual walk after the frazzled boy.

Dave weaves between trees stopping for a moment behind one of hte bigger ones to catch his breath. Even a Strider will run out of energy after a while. He pants quietly, trying to keep himself quiet as he listens to the footsteps drawing ever closer.

"You've put yourself in quite the situation as always, cool kid." A female voice thick with an unrecognizable accent sounds out from above him.

Dave freezes, then turns his head slowly to look up at the troll above him. One sparkling blue eye grins down at him from behind wire rimmed glasses, the other eye was covered by a black patch with an intricate design of a blue spider stitched into it. Her hair flows around her with a slight curl at the tips, and her horns mismatched, one splitting at the top like a claw and the other flicking back down similar to a crochet hook. Dave curses Rose for causing him to even know what a crochet hook looks like as he observed the troll. She's wearing a long coat that flutters in the wind, tied up on her left arm where she's missing an arm. 

Painted blue lips turn into a smile as the looks over her shoulder at the maniac clown closing in on them. "The question is Mr. Strider, Do you have the luck to get out of it this time?" She casually reaches into her pocket pulling out a pair of blue dice. With a giddy giggle she tosses them down to land in front of the blonde.

"Hey Dave! I was having a picnic with Rose and Jade when we saw you run by so I thought I'd come over and invite you to join us!" They both jerk their eyes up from the dice to watch John grinning as he waves excitedly and jogs towards them. Dave's eyes widen and he jerks to look behind him at Gamzee, then back over to John.

A single blue eye widens as she stares at the boy clad in the light blue hoodie as a juggling pin whizzes past her head. Dave dashes forward tackling his best friend to the ground, the juggling pin skimming the top of his head and imbedding into the tree just behind him. Splinters and bark shower down on the two from the impact.

"Dave! What the hell? What's going on? Why are you tackling me like this? And what the fuck just happened to that tree!!?" John's eyes go wide as he stares at the gaping hole in the tree above his head. A triumphant honk sounds out as Gamzee stops above them. He lifts his remaining pin up letting the momentum carry him as he swings at the back of Dave's head. 

The female troll throws herself from the tree, iridescent blue butterfly wings ripping out of her back as she plunges down. She flies as fast as she can slamming into the blonde and wrapping her arm around the boy in blue. With a cracking voice she screams out "LUCK IS WITH YOU TONIGHT!"

A bright blue light flashes momentarily blinding the clown as he shouts out a surprised honk. Confusion and rage fills him when his vision returns to an empty spot where the two humans used to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE RE-WRITES AND NO VOTES WILL BE TAKEN UNTIL THE END OF CHAPTER 16! SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!
> 
> The options for the next chapter were:  
> Dave: Wake up in another world  
> Karkat: Witness Gamzee's attack.


	10. Wishing For A Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which the author has sweet moirail feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a fucking roll today! Three chapters in one day! Hell to the fucks yea! 
> 
> The winning vote for this chapter was:  
> Karkat: See what happened in the last chapter

Karkat croons over the tank making sure each of his beloved fiddler crabs gets the same amount of meat. Chuckling as they wave their little claws up eagerly in the air at him begging for more. He smiles and reaches down into the tank to dangle another piece of meat in front of the smallest of the crabs. A loud crack fills the air an the floor shakes causing Karkat to tumble and almost pull the tank down.

"WHAT IN THE HOLIEST OF FUCKS!?" he screeches out dropping the meat and righting his tank before running to the window. His eyes widen as he leans out over the street below. Horns echo through the air and cracks spread across the street. A gangly mess of tangled hair and tall horn walks casually through the street leaving nothing but destruction in his wake. "Gamzee?"

Karkat jerks up smacking the back of his head into the window. Cursing he grabs his keys and rushes out his chipped red door slamming and locking it behind him. He rushes down the street and through the stopped traffic following the maniacal honks of his old best friend. "GAMZEE!!??"

Gamzee walks on unable to hear Karkat's shouting as he tosses his juggling pin in the air walking casually on his too long legs into the park. Karkat curses to himself as he runs into the park after the clown. He knew from the tone of the honks that he had branched into insane territory and was on the hunt, prepared to kill something. Karkat just hoped it was something that actually deserved the horrible painful death in it's near future.

Karkat stops when Gamzee does and leans against a tree to catch his breath. He follows the solid purple gaze locking on to the mess of blonde hair as it lunges from one tree to another. Karkat's eyes widen in recognition as the blonde dives into another tree. Gamzee laughs and starts running pushing himself into the tree next to Dave.

"Fuck!" Karkat hisses running to catch up with him. Watching in horror as Gamzee's arm swings narrowly missing Dave's skull and shattering the tree they stood in. Karkat flinches at the sound of splintering wood. A sigh of relief escapes as he watches Dave dive down from a high branch and run into the thick brush of trees in the distance. Karkat's legs start to burn as he watches Gamzee hop down from the tree and take long casual strides after the blonde.

"Hey Dave! I was having a picnic with Rose and Jade when we saw you run by so I thought I'd come over and invite you to join us!" Karkat recognizes the voice immediately, remembering just that morning when John text him inviting him to join him on a picnic with his step sister and friend. He pushes himself to run faster in hopes of somehow making it there in time to save his new friend.

"Dave! What the hell? What's going on? Why are you tackling me like this? And what the fuck just happened to that tree!!?" Karkat sighs with relief as John's voice fills the air after an exceptionally loud crack. Pushing through the brush his eyes lock on to the vision of the red clad blonde pinning John to the ground. Gamzee steps over to them and with a confident honk swings his juggling pin down. Karkat rushes forward knowing he's too late but hoping and praying something will save his new friend and the Strider boy. A bright light flashes blinding Karkat and causing him to stop and rub at his eyes.

When he's able to see again Karkat saw only Gamzee standing with empty hands looking around with crazed eyes solid with anger. Powerless red eyes meet with psychotic purple ones. "Karbro?" The purple eyes shrink back to normal as the clown turns taking slow disbelieving steps towards the shorter boy.

"Gamzee..." Karkat walks confidently forward towards the clown. A rare smile spreading across his lips as he draws closer.

Gamzee runs forward scooping up the smaller boy causing him to screech and cling to him as he spins around. "Karbro it's you! It's REALLY you! My wish came true! It's a motherfucking miracle!"

Karkat squeaks and squirms out of the taller god's grip flopping to the ground with a sigh. "What wish Gamzee? What are you talking about?"

Gamzee smiles flashing his fierce fangs as he flops down onto the ground next to the tiny ex-god. "The Grand Condense said whichever Motherfucker kills the boy who caused Death to abandon his post would get one wish! And I did it! I killed that red motherfucker and wished for you to come back Karbro." Gamzee rolls over wrapping his arms around the smaller boy's waist and snuggling into his stomach like a giant pet.

Karkat stares in horror at the messy head in his lap. He carefully places his hand in the untamed mop of hair and pets it softly. A clicking sound fills the air, sounding almost like a cat's purr and Karkat sighs. "He's not dead Gamzee."

The taller god shoots up to stare at Karkat, purple eyes slowly bleeding in rage again. "What was that my motherfucking best friend?"

Karkat gulps. "You didn't kill him. I saw you and came running after you. You don't need to kill him Gamzee. I'm right fucking here. I promise... I'll never leave you again." Karkat sighs, knowing he's lying and he'll be dying in just a short time due to his drastically shortened human lifespan. But, he could still keep his best bro sane during the time he had left.

Rose raises a curious brow as she watches the two boys snuggling in the grass. She could clearly see the candy corn like horns protruding from their heads. A skill she's had since birth. She's seen creatures like this all over town, befriended a few, even gotten intimate with one. She saw the taller one chasing after Dave when he ran past them at their picnic and chose to make chase when John jumped up in excitement to invite him to join them.

What Rose didn't understand is where it was that the one armed female had taken her two friends. Why she even bothered to save them. And why the other two did not seem to see her. Having much to think about Rose turns to leave the two to their cuddling. Stopping only when she felt something under her foot. She moves her foot back and crouches down to look at the pair of blue dice in the grass, a light glow and hum coming from them. They blink up at her with only one dot on each of them greeting her.

Rose scoops up the dice feeling the power within them as she holds them in the palm of her hand. From what she's learned of dice games two ones was called snake eyes. And it was the unluckiest of all the rolls you could get. An instant loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DO NOT VOTE UNTIL THE END OF CHAPTER 16! I ALREADY HAVE THE CHAPTERS UP UNTIL THEN!!
> 
> The options for the next chapter WERE:  
> John: Wake up to nothing, literally  
> Rose: ask your girlfriend about the dice


	11. A Blinding Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the world learns that the ancestors know everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to state how much I love the people who are oh so super sweetly leaving me the sweetest of comments! I love you!
> 
> The winning chapter was:  
> John: Wake up to nothing, Literally

A horrible thudding pain spins through John's head. The pain got worse every time he tried to move. Every time he tries to open his eyes all he sees is blinding bright white that makes his head throb and his stomach roll an makes him want to vomit. So he keeps his eyes close an his cold hand pressed to his forehead. The memory of seeing Dave in the park replays in his mind over and over as John tries and fails to figure out what happened. What's was going on there? Was someone shooting at them? Did he get shot? Is that why he felt like he was being ripped in two? Is he... dead?

He tries again to open his eyes but all he sees is blinding white light. He snaps his eyes shut an rubs at them wondering where his glasses went. He sighs an forces his eyes open again. The light seems to move and swirl with life, but yet do nothing at all. Every time he tries to focus on stream of light it would pulse and disappear like it was never there. Taking a deep even breath John pushes himself up, feeling the plush fabric under him as he looks around. But all he sees it bright light, everywhere, bright blinding light. Even the soft fabric underneath him was just a blinding light.

His eyes begin to burn an his head throb again. The lights around him swirling faster as a horrible ache rips through his gut. An agonized gurgle escapes his lips as he hunches over wrapping his arms around his midsection and curling in upon himself. 

"What!? He's awake?" Daves voice comes through muffled from a distance, as if in another room. John looks around but sees nothing but light. It was blinding, it hurt, his eyes hurt, his stomach hurt, his chest felt like it was being ripped in two. Unable to take it anymore John leans over and vomits. The mix of colors of his picnic lunch a dark contrast to the brightness around him.

Dave pushes the door open and glances into the dark room. Bookshelves cover the walls crammed full with so many books that when Dave woke up earlier in the same room he thought he was in a library. John sat hunched over on a dark green couch, about to topple over as he stared at the floor. Dave glances down at the floor to see a fresh splatter on the slightly lighter green carpeting. "Aw... Dude. Why would you puke on a girl's rug? That's all kinds of disrespectful! Couldn't you just ask for a bucket?"

John's head shoots up his blue eyes watering and filled with pain and confusion as they focus on Dave's Dark form in the bright surroundings. "What are you talking about Dave? THERE IS NO CARPET!! There is NOTHING here!? What's going on? Where are we? Why is it so bright? Did I get shot? Are we in a hospital? Am I gonna Die? Are we already dead?"

Dave blinks in confusion taking a step inside the room. Moving carefully around the puddle on the floor he grabs the glass of water sitting on the table next to the couch. Slowly he hols the cup out to John. "Here, drink this. It'll help you feel better."

"Drink WHAT Dave? There is nothing in your hand! Why can't I see anything but you? Oh god! I'm dead aren't I? Is this heaven? Please tell me we're not in hell. I don't want to be dead! I Haven't even had sex yet!! I'm too young to die!" John grabs his head, fingers curling into his hair as he continues to flip out.

Dave sighs and rubs his own forehead in frustration. He takes his shades off an carefully places them on John's nose, pushing them up before grabbing John's hands and pulling them away from his hair. He carefully wraps John's fingers around the glass and moves it up to his lips.

John stares at his hands in confusion. He can't see anything but he felt the cold sweat covered glass under his fingers. He tips his hands up and tastes the cool liquid as it goes into his mouth. It tastes like water. John greedily chugs the water down before looking around again. He still can't see anything. But with Dave's sunglasses on everything seemed a lot less blinding.

"Oh dear. I was afraid this would happen." Dave turns to look as a woman enters the room. She appears to be in about her mid 30's to 40's. Her black hair is cut short to her chin with slight strips of gray in it. Her horns go up and back in a crochet hook style that causes Dave to curse Rose again. She's wearing a delicate black dress. She moves carefully to avoid the vomit on the floor and sits herself down on a chair in the corner. She reaches over to the table beside her chair and picks up a small device. With delicate fingers she pokes at the device a few times, almost like she's sending a text.

"You were afraid what would happen, Dolorosa?" Dave raises a brow casually placing a hand on John's shoulder to keep him from teetering off the couch into his own mess.

"What? I didn't say anything. What's going on?" John's voice was starting to go high pitched and frantic. Dave narrows his eyes and pets his head shushing him softly.

"He can't see or hear anything of our world Dave." Dolarosa looks up from her small device. A sad look crosses her face for a moment before disappearing being a mother-like mask.

A few caterpillar like creatures of various different colors scurry into the room. Some of them carry towels, others liquids that smelled like cleaning products. They rush over to the mess on the floor and make quick work on removing it. Dave barely resists the urge to step back in disgust, only John pressed against his side keeping him still. He runs his fingers through John's dark hair.

"Why can't he see anything? How is it he can be in this world, but not be able to SEE it?" Dave eyes one of the over-sized bugs in a purple shade as it worked it's spindly legs to spray some cleaner on the mess.

"Who are you even talking to Dave?" John sounded like he was near tears as he glanced up at Dave.

Dave shooshed him again and pressed his head against his side. Glancing back up at the woman who's 'hive' as she seemed to call it they were currently in. Dolarosa looked troubled as she watches John. "He isn't of this world anymore. This is going to upset the goddess of luck quite a bit... possibly enough to have her leave our cause."

Dave growls drawing her attention back up into his narrowed red eyes. "How about we start from the beginning. Why are we here?"

Dolarosa sighs, casually lifting one of the green bug like creatures up into her lap and coddling it like a beloved pet. "Mr. Strider, do you know the story of your family?"

Dave flinches and looks down at the now spotless carpet. "My parents died when I was young. Bro tells me they were the coolest people in the world. But that's really all I know."

Dolarosa watches as the emotions flash across Dave's pale freckled face before disappearing completely under a well trained mask. She pets the grubling's little head before whispering in it's ear and setting it down. The little bug scurries out the door. 

It's gone only a moment before the door opens wide. A wild mane of hair and cat ear like horns is the first thing Dave sees. Freckled gray skin and a wide fang-filled grin is the next thing he notices. Then the twitching blue tail that follows as the woman enters the room. "You called for me?" she purrs out, bright green eyes zoning in on Dave's hand moving in John's hair.

"I know how much you love telling stories Disciple. Would you like to tell Mr. Strider how he came to be here?" Dolarosa smiles as her friend bubbles over with excitement. A squeal of glee escapes Disciple's lips at the thought of being able to tell one of her favorite stories. She bounds across the floor and flops down on the couch next to John. Nearly sending him flying off of it.

John wraps his arms around Dave's waist, clinging for dear life when he feels the surface underneath of him shifting. "Daaaaaave." He whimpers.

Dave continues to pet his hair. "It's okay John, someone just sat down beside you. It'll be okay."

"SHUSH! It's story time!!" Disciple purses her lips glaring at Dave. She takes a deep breath and begins her story. "About 26 years ago our people were celebrating the coming of another rare true blooded troll. He came into our world and to the palace in order to be initiated into his god tier. Our queen the Condense stood before him awaiting the show of his powers.

The new god was different from the rest of us. His hair glowed a bright gold color instead of our normal black. His eyes were a glossy amber as he stared smugly down at the strongest of all beings, our queen. The Condensce became instantly smitten with the new god and after assigning him the title of God of Love she began to attempt and court him. Hoping to make him the next addition to her growing harem of gods and goddess to warm her bed.

But, the god of love had no interest in our over-confident queen and instead found himself falling in love with a mousey goddess he bumped into outside of the library. They fell completely in love with each other and Dolarosa, the goddess of motherhood, happily bestowed upon them the gift of life allowing the young goddess to become with child.

The queen found out about the couple and demanded the mousey goddess be strung up by her reproductive organs and made an example of. That anyone who would think themselves worthy of stealing from her would face horrible punishment. Disgusted by the queen's actions a group of gods banned together and helped the god of love break his lover out of jail. The two escaped to the human world where they started anew. Luck was on their side as the mousey goddess's power was strong enough to keep them safe from the queen's vengeance. For the goddess power was that of hiding.

The goddess was able to keep her family hidden for about 17 years. Giving birth to three young unformed gods. Unfortunately, on the 16th birthday of their first born child he came into contact with a catalyst, and his power came out. This would normally not cause a problem for the family. Except the eldest son's power, was Sight. With one untrained burst of power all of the work his mother put in to keeping her family hidden was shattered.

The queen spotted the lovers with their child instantly and sent the god of death to destroy them. For even gods can be killed if it's killed by a god of death. Fortunately for you, that god of death had a weakness. Your red eyes, Mr. Strider."

Dave swallows the lump forming in his throat, his hands balling into fists. John yelps and yanks away from Dave, tumbling off the couch and toppling onto the floor. "oh..." Dave says slowly, taking it all in as he stares down at John. His cool kid facade collapsing under the truth that his parents were killed because his brother came to power. "Wait... what's a catalyst?"

Dolarosa looks up from the swarm of multi colored grublings she'd been cooing over during story time. "A catalyst is an item or living creature that through certain actions can bring a god to power. The catalyst brought your brother to power, and your brother enabled him to be able to see the world around him."

Disciple scoots across the couch careful not to touch John who lay defeated on the floor. "Would you like to hear the story of your friend?" She purrs staring intently at Dave's hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REMEMBER NOT TO VOTE UNTIL THE END OF CHAPTER 16! I'm just giving the options so you have a gist of what to expect next!
> 
> The options were:  
> Dave: Listen to the story  
> John: Demand to go home


	12. A Flight To The Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author should feel bad for making the Striders into trolls. But doesn't because THEY'RE FUCKING GODS! Also more sad storytime feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I begin I would just like to take this moment to state that if you have any questions you can always contact me on my tumblr which is also SuccubustyKisses.
> 
> The winning chapter was:  
> Dave: Listen to the story

Dave looks down at John, who now lay curled in upon himself pressing the sunglasses painfully tight into his face to try to block out the light, whimpering. "I won't listen to a story about my best bro when he can't hear it."

Disciple presses her head against Dave's hand and looks up at him with bright hopeful eyes. "You could always give him the sight." She rubs her head against his hand trying way too hard to get him to pet her.

Dave rolls his eyes an pats the cat-god-girl-thing on the head. "If I knew how to give him the sight don't you think I would have done so years ago? He thinks I'm insane."

Disciple slaps herself on the forehead and sighs in a complete over exaggerated way. "I just TOLD you how to give him sight. Did you even LISTEN to my story Mr. Strider?" Gosh! You're just like your dad! He never listened to me either! Gods of a feather flock together I guess. Like a murder of crows!"

"Right..." Dave rolls his eyes. "Bro. But, he's not here."

"Actually Dave." Dolarosa smiles sweetly from her pile of bug creatures that continue to pile up on her lap chirping and clicking for her attention. "He's been here since the beginning of the story."

Dave turns wide eyes to the goddess who's sweet smile gets sickeningly sweeter before turning to glance at the door. Dave follows her eyes his wide red eyes connecting with solid amber ones. Bro stands silently in the doorway, clutching his sword tightly in his left hand. His hat is gone so the knife-blade like horns point out at a diagonal from his crown. He looks away nervously rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "The goddess of gossip tracked me down to tell me that if I don't get my trash out of her world she'd dispose of it herself... I didn't expect to come in during story-time. Especially stories you don't need to know."

Disciple hisses an sticks her tongue out at bro, pushing her head up into Dave's hand again. "Everyone should know where they came from. Even if the story is sad."

John tugs on Dave's pant leg turning to look up at him pitifully. "I want to go home. Dave. Take me home. Please take me home."

Dave sighs and kneels down. He carefully pulls John up into a sitting position. "Do you want to be able to see the things I see John?"

John whines. "I just want the brightness and pain to go away!"

Bro walks over and kneels down beside Dave. With a press of power he becomes visible to John who squeaks and falls backwards in shock of the oldest strider appearing out of thin air in front of him. Bro grabs the front of John's shirt and pulls him back up nearly touching noses. "Do you want to see them John?"

John gulps and glances over at Dave who just nods slowly. "Yes. I want to see them."

"No matter what the consequences?" Bro tightens his grip on John's shirt and narrows his eyes.

John nods again. A determined set to his face. "Yes! If Dave can do it then so can I!"

Bro glances over at Dave before shrugging. He turns back to facing John and yanks him forward. Their lips meet in a hard smack blue eyes widening in shock. John squeaks and tries to push away but Bro simply presses on using the opportunity of the squeak to force the younger boy's mouth open and force his tongue inside. Dave's nose wrinkles in disgust and he turns his head to stare at Disciple instead.

Disciple lounges on the couch, head in her hands, tail twitching behind her as she watches. Wide bright green eyes sparkle with excitement as John gives up fighting closing his eyes and just accepts the kiss in defeat. "This really is the purrfect ship!" she giggles.

Dave gags. "Ew! Seriously? Don't pair my best bro with my brother! That's creepy! And gross!! And just plain WRONG!"

Bro finally pulls away with a smirk as he looks at John's after-kiss flushed face. He actually was pretty cute, no wonder Dave pined after him for so long... It's a shame he's straight. Bro slowly lets go of John's shirt and straightens it. "You can open your eyes now John."

John slowly opens his eyes. Blinking in disbelief at the darkness around him. He pulls off Dave's sunglasses. Disciple grabs his glasses from the table beside the couch and dangles them in front of him. He puts them on and stares into Bro's solid amber eyes. He reaches up slowly and pokes at the horn on the side of Bro's head. His finger pricking on the sharp edge and blood welling up at the cut. "Why are your eyes solid?"

"A god's eyes go solid when they loose control! In fear, anger, excitement... sexual excitement." Disciple chimes in. Dave and John both choke on air and glare at her.

Dave pushes his shades back onto his face and sighs. "Okay. Let's all hear your story."

Disciple squeals with glee and bounces up to sit properly on the couch. "This is a good story too! Not as good as the god of love! But still good!"

John sticks his bleeding finger in his mouth and moves to take in more of the room then just the older strider. He stops to stare at Disciple following the movement of her tail as it twitches beside her on the couch. Disciple grins and waves down at John. "Well then! 19 years ago some of the gods decided enough was enough. SO they began a rebellion against the queen. Banning together they stormed her castle. The queen, being the goddess of power, easily overtook the small group of brave gods. Pulling the power of a god of Death she aimed to end the revolution permanently. And set an example for anyone else who thought to stand against her.

"As the power cracked through the air two members of the revolt, best friends the gods of flight and transportation worked quickly to get them out of the line of fire. Upon seeing the roll of the dice and knowing they weren't going to escape the god of flight grabbed his long-time mate, the goddess of luck, and kissed her hard. Then flew head on into the shot of power, absorbing it into himself.

"The goddess of luck screamed and ran to her love's side. Reaching to grab hold of her quickly disintegrating mate. Her own arm took on the curse of death that coursed through his body and began to decay at a rapid rate. Spreading up her neck and to her face. The god of transportation grabbed the unlucky goddess and using his powers teleported her away from the scene. Something in the teleportation process caused the curse of Death to stop spreading in the goddess's body. Leaving her bloody and half blind with only one arm, and no one to love.

"The goddess refused treatment. Begging the others to let her die so she could be with her love. Unable to take the sight of the once over confident goddess of luck trying again and again to kill herself the god of creation made a deal with her. If she took healing treatment and continued to live the life her mate sacrificed himself for, then he would bring him back to life.

"The goddess agreed without even taking a moment to think. So the god of creation walked out of the cave they'd stationed themselves in. He carefully went back into the queen's palace and grabbed what little remains he could of the god of flight. But, before he could escape the palace he was spotted by a guard. Knowing he had to keep his promise, for the good of the revolution, and for his unrequited love for the goddess of luck he used his powers on the remains as quickly as he could. Re-creating the god of flight into the boy of a human boy." Disciple opens her eyes to smile fondly down at John. "That boy was found by a loving human man, and named John."

John stared silently up at her. His mind in complete overload. His finger still in his mouth even though the bleeding stopped a quarter of the way through the story. Bro rolls his eyes, now returned to normal, and pulls John's finger out of his mouth unable to take the sight anymore. "What happened to the god of creation?"

Dolarosa speaks softly from her pile of grublings. "He now lives in the palace, his mind completely under the power of the god of control. Along with my son and his friend who went in to try and save him."

Dave pokes at one of the teal grublings that wandered away from Dolarosa. "So you guys are the ones that started the revolution then?"

A sad smile spreads across Dolarosa's face. "Yes, and we need your help to finish it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REMEMBER DON'T VOTE! WE'RE ALMOST TO THE LAST CHAPTER BUT NOT THERE YET!!
> 
> Next chapter options WERE  
> Dave: Agree to help  
> Bro: Take the boys home


	13. Love's Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author enjoys the though of Dirk and Bro constantly getting in cocky battles of the will with each other. Also summoner is totally a loveable cutie!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning vote for this chapter was:  
> Bro: Take the boys home

Dolarosa watches the three boys, clutching a small red grub close to her chest as she pleads with her eyes. "I know it's asking a lot from you. Especially when the people of my world have been nothing but inhospitable to you. But please, I know you have the power inside you. I know you can do it. Please, bring my son home."

Dave tilts his head down to look at bro. "You always said Striders don't turn down requests for help." Bro pushes himself up into standing and looks down at Dave.

Disciple squeals and pounces Dave sending them both toppling to the floor. A loud purr fills the room. "Please bring my mate home! Bring him home to us! It won't be hard you just have to use the catalyst to bring out your powers and th-"

"No."

The purring stops and all eyes turn to stare in shock at Bro. Disciple licks her lips. "What?"

Bro clenches his fists, a twitch showing in his jaw. "No way in hell."

Dolarosa stands up sending all but the red grubling toppling to the floor. They scurry in all directions throughout the room. John scoops up a small violet colored one with a fin on the end of it's tail. He pats it's little head between it's horns and coos at it to stop it's crying. "Please!" Dolarosa pleads. "He's going to come in to his power anyways! You can't prevent that! It's safer if you use a catalyst! And you HAVE a catalyst! We just want you to help us. We helped your parents escape so many years ago. We lost our friends, the people we love, in hopes of bringing them back. It's the LEAST you can do! Just help us get back the people we CAN save an we'll never bother you again."

Bro turns a violent glare to Dolarosa leaning down and wrapping his fingers into Dave's collar. He yanks up sending Disciple tumbling to the floor with a hiss. "It's not happening." He growls scooping up John with his free hand and throwing him over his shoulder. With one final glare he turns and walks towards the door. "Jake is not a catalyst. He is a human being. Not some tool to be used by every troll who thinks themselves to be a god."

Dave rips his shirt out of his brother's grip once they leave the room. Shooting a violent glare up at him. Bro raises a brow in return. With John still slumped over his shoulder in defeat, the tiny grub blowing bubbles in his arms, Bro walks down the hall.

Dave turns and glances back in the room at the two women. Disciple lay in the same place on the floor, curled in upon herself shaking with silent tears. Dolarosa still stood by her chair, tiny grubs chirping and pulling at the bottom of her dress in cries for attention. She just stood staring at Dave, pleading with her eyes. With a sigh Dave turns away an follows Bro down the hall.

They pass a few doors down the hall before turning into an opened door of a brightly lit room. Bro walks up to the god sitting in the room reading a thick old book. His hair is spiked up in all directions with two red stripes going down the crown, His horns jut out so far from his head before curving up that Dave wondered how he fit through doors. A pair of butterfly like wings shone behind him in a bright sparkling copper color and he wore only a pair of pants. His feet an chest bare showing the tattoo of a spider just above his heart. "We're ready to go home Summoner."

Summoner stands setting his book aside with a bright smile. "Leaving so soon! But ya'll just got here! I'd love to catch up with my old best bud now that he's awake! And you and me haven't strifed in AGES Strider!"

John moves the grub into one hand and uses the other to push up on Bro's back to peek around his body and stare upside-down at summoner. "HE HAS WINGS!!" John squeals in excitement squirming and kicking. With an exaggerated sigh Bro sets the boy down. John shoves the grub off into Bro's hands and runs up to Summoner.

Summoner beems brightly down at John and flutters his wings. John squeals like a fangirl and circles him looking at all the intricate details of his wings. "This is amazing! You two have been able to see things like this all the time? Why didn't you share this with me sooner Dave? This is SO COOL!"

Dave just glares up at Bro. "Why can't we help them?"

Bro glares back. "We are not talking about this Dave."

Summoner twitches and turns his head to the middle of the room, pushing John back out of the way he holds his hands up. His wings start to flutter swiftly, nearly disappearing with the movement. The air in front of his outstretched hands swirls and sparks and with a loud POP a girl lands gracefully on her paws in front of him. Dave recognizes this girl as the cat-girl from the park that the others called Nepeta. She tried to kill him once but Equius and Latula stopped her.

John squeals with delight and scurries over to Nepeta. "This one's a cat-girl too! Look at her TAIL! And she just appeared out of NOWHERE! Like MAGIC! Did you do that?" John turned bright blue eyes up to Summoner who flashes a million-watt smile and nods.

Nepeta jerks away from John with a scowl before turning to glare at the Strider boys. "As the goddess of information it is my duty to inform Dolarosa when things happen. Things that could help the revolution. Things like the awakening of the power of the NEW god of love."

Bro curses and tosses the grub into Summoner's chair. It chirps angrily and shakes one of it's tiny feet at him. Grabbing Dave by his collar, and John by the back of his shirt he drags them in front of Summoner. "Send us home. Now."

Summoner pouts. With a sad sigh he holds his hands back up and starts fluttering his wings again. The air around the trio becomes thick and oppressive making it very hard to breathe. The world spins and Bro lets go of the two boys. With a loud POP the world shifts around them and Bro and Dave land casually on their feet in their living room. John topples face first to the floor.

Bro moves so fast his steps can't bee seen dashing out of the room and down the hall towards the basement door. Before he can reach the door it flings hitting the wall with a loud crack causing Dave and John to curiously peek into the hall. Jake comes running out the door, his hair clinging to his forehead with sweat. His eyes are wide and frantic as he skids to a stop in front of Bro Staring up at him.

"Jake..." Bro reaches a gloved hand out towards him. Jake flinches away biting his lip. He jerks to look back at the basement, then back up at Bro. Tears begin to rapidly pour from his eyes. He scrubs at his face and dashes around Bro not even noticing Dave and John still standing in the doorway. He runs out the front door slamming it shut behind him.

Dave blinks and turns to look up at Bro. "What's got him so spooked?"

A raspy cough turns three pairs of eyes back to the basement door. Dirk stands leaning heavily against the door to the basement, one hand gripping his head in pain. Orange blood trickles down the side of his face. A pair of horns now curl up at the top of his head, almost resembling a heart where they almost connect together. Blood drips off of them. He looks up at Bro, his eyes solid and smirks. "The difference between you and me." He says, his voice raspy, fangs peeking out as his lips move. "Is he'll come back to me."

Bro clenches his fist and turns to glare down at Dave. "This is why we're not helping them." His fist slams into the wall sending spider web cracks going around the now fair sized hole. With one last glare he storms up the stairs to his room, slamming the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REMEMBER NOT TO VOTE UNTIL THE END OF CHAPTER 16! WE'RE ALMOST THERE!
> 
> The options WERE  
> Vriska: Be a creeper  
> Dave: Talk to Jake


	14. Well, That Was Awkward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author is amused by how naive Dave can be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick note:  
> I am HORRIBLE at trying to pull of Jake. Like I literally retyped his text posts 50x the first time I wrote this and could NOT get it right. So I just gave up and did it this way. Sorry he kinda doesn't talk right.
> 
> The winning chapter?  
> Dave: Talk to Jake

Dave smirks when he sees Jake peek out of the door to his house. He'd been sitting on the roof of the building across the street for hours. Waiting and watching the giant green house with a way too big yard filled with frog statues and far too many dogs running in and out of the house only being held in by the 12 foot tall fencing around it. Jake lived with his grandmother... and she was a bit of a crazy dog lady. 

Jake looks from left to right, slowly moving out of the doorway, looking both ways again. He looked like a man on the run as he looked frantically around him with each step. Dave grins and with extreme Strider speed flash-steps behind him and pokes him in the sides. "sweet sassafras!" Jake screeches out turning and pointing a golden gun between Dave's unflinching eyes.

Dave raises a brow as he watches the gun shake. Looking past it into terrified green eyes. "If I didn't know any better I'd swear you were trying to avoid us Jake."

Jake lowers his gun slowly, biting his bottom lip. He fumbles to put it up looking around again. "Are you the only one here?"

"I'm so sorry I'm not a good enough visitor for you. Here let me just call my brothers and we'll have a sweet as hell tea party all up in your rich kid yard." Dave reaches in his pocket for his phone and starts scrolling through his contacts.

"NO!!" Jake grabs Dave's arm. "Please. Don't call them. I... I just... I can't face them right now. I just... What's WRONG with me? Why does this keep happening?"

Dave pulls his arm away and puts his phone back in his pocket. "You're not going to cry are you? Letting out waterworks all over the street. Drowning me in your sappy girl tears? Hello! My name is Jake English and I turn people in to monsters. Let me just change into a frilly girl dress first an I'll get right on that. Dude, seriously. We were BORN this way. Shit happens. You made it happen sooner, but it would have happened irregardless. Cry me a river." 

Jake looks skeptical. Slowly lowering his hand back to his side. "Then why aren't you... like them?"

Dave shrugs and walks over to a large tree flopping down in a swing hanging off of it. "Maybe I'm too cool? They say the cooler you are the harder it is to come in to your powers. Cuz that's what it is you know, power, you have power too Jake. And I need you to use it on me."

Jake watches as Dave sways on his childhood swing. Kicking his feet in the air like a child. "You just said it wasn't me."

Dave sighs dramatically. "Look Jake. We Strider boys... We don't just say we're gods for show. We ARE gods. But sometimes a person needs a trigger. Y'kno like how you gotta pull the trigger on your gun to shoot. You just so happen to have that trigger inside you. And I need you to pull it to bring out my powers faster." Jake blushes a deep red and coughs. Dave raises his brow again as he watches him turn bright red and choke on his words.

Jake slowly recovers and runs his hand through his hair. Tousling it even more than it already is. "Um... mate? Do you... know what I was doing when your brothers... spouted horns?"

Dave stares at Jake in confusion. "Obviously not. I'm no psychic. I can't just pop into your head and swim around with your thoughts until I find the ones I need. If I knew how to bring my powers out I would have done it as soon as I realized. But I don't know Jake."

Jake takes a deep breath and chews on his bottom lip again. He turns to look awkwardly up at the sky, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was... um.... copulating..."

Dave's eyes widen. His feet stop kicking and he stares at the bright red boy. "Excuse me? You were... what?"

Jake sighs loudly. "I was having sex Dave. There I am mid coitus and your brother just starts SCREAMING. He grabbed his head and this weird thick substance comes flooding out of his skull splattering all over me... and it... It's BLOOD. That is NOT something I ever wanted to happen again. And it DID happen again!"

Dave's eye twitches. "You were having SEX? THAT'S the trigger? THAT'S what you did to bring out thei- Wait... YOU FUCKED BRO!?"

Jake hides his face in hands flopping down to the ground with a dramatic grunt. "I was 13! He was my first crush and we saw this stupid porno and decided we wanted to try it too."

Dave gags. "That just makes it even MORE disgusting! Oh my god you fucked BOTH my brothers. I can't... Oh my god I just asked you to... oh my gog I can't even... That's DISGUSTING I take it back! I'll find another way. I don't want your help!"

"I'll never be performing such intimacies ever again." Jake mutters from around his hands curling further in upon himself.

Dave stares down at him. "Okay... Seriously dude. You just have good tastes is all. Not many people get to take the Strider pie. But you did. TWICE! Just because you got some magic shit inside you that brings out our powers doesn't mean you should give up. Once that shit is out that's it. You ain't got nottin' to worry about. Don't go holing yourself up like some hermit. Only coming out of your prissy rich kid house for some cheezy boring adventure that wouldn't be NEARLY as good without one of us Striders tagging along. The best adventures are with us. So stick around."

Jake shakes his head still buried in his hands. Dave stands up and walks over patting him on the head. "Hey, you know what Dirk's power is?" Jake shakes his head again peeking up from his hand. Dave continues. "It's love dude. You fucked him so hard all he can do is love. You really gonna throw away a god who's power revolves completely around you?"

Jake doesn't say anything but moves his head out of his hands, slowly running them down his face. Dave shrugs and starts walking away. "Just giving you something to think about... I think I'll go see what John's up to. Bro's out at work, got a job protecting some comic artist who's here for a convention or something. That means poor Dirk is home all alone. Hope he doesn't get too lonely. He can be such a drag when he gets lonely."

With a satisfied smirk Dave hops the giant fence outside of Jake's house. Sending a quick wave behind him he walks off disappearing around a corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'RE ALMOST TO THE LAST RE-WRITE! ARE YOU EXCITED TO VOTE! AT THE END OF CHAPTER 16!!!! THAT'S ONLY TWO MORE CHAPTERS!
> 
> The chapter options WERE:  
> Dave: Go see John.  
> Vriska: Realize your mistake


	15. Sadness & Sacrifices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER HAS VIOLENCE AND SAD THINGS!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning chapter was:  
> Dave: Go see John
> 
> In truth the chapter would have had this no matter which one you voted for, the views just would have been different.

Dave walks slowly along the sidewalk towards his best friend's house. The weather at night was still in the stages of being cold so small clouds floated into the breeze as he exhaled. He blew into his hands to warm his fingers for a moment before stuffing them back into the kangaroo pocket of his hoodie.

A scowl crosses his face as he tries to figure out how he's going to get his powers. He's the only Strider WITHOUT power, and that is just not cool. Not even ironically uncool. Just plain uncool!

"Who would even WANT to be the god of love? What kind of lame power is that? Hey there you two, looks like you wanna fuck. Let me make it so you'd feel bad doing anyone else. No thank you! This Strider doesn't need a lame power like that!" Dave sighs as he turns to walk up the path to John's house. He stops at the steps leading to the door glancing up to see it partially open. Dave narrows his eyes. Using the natural skills of stealth he learned from his dad, and later his brother, Dave rushed up the steps and slowly pushed the door open.

Carefully he stepped down the hall looking from side to side in hopes of spotting the thief that broke in to John's house. No one in his family would leave a door open. Stepping further into the home Dave notices light from the door to the kitchen. With swift Strider steps he rushes to the door and peeks through. Blood rushes from his face and his head spins, the smell from inside invading his senses causing him to gag. 

There was blood everywhere, splattered on the tables, puddled on the floors, painted on the walls and cabinets. Smears of hand prints going across the fridge. The thick oppressing smell of fresh blood made him cover his mouth as he stepped into the kitchen. Looking around for any signs of life.

Dave walks around the table and freezes. Staring down at the wide glossy eyes of Rose's mom, John's stepmother. She lay sprawled on the ground her limbs spread wide. Her throat was slit and blood pooled underneath her head knotting in her hair. Her chest had been sliced open, probably in an attempt to get more blood for the horrid paintings on the walls.

The world spun and Dave caught himself on the table. Turning away from the body and taking slow shallow breaths. He closes his eyes to try to escape the sight but it's burnt in his memory. His limbs shaking he opens his eyes and starts walking from the room, needing to get away from all the blood.

The sound of John screaming cut through Dave's concentration. Causing him to jerk his head up and stare wide eyed at the ceiling, willing himself to be able to see through it to the rooms above him. With a scowl Dave rushes up the steps and quickly down the hall to the next closest lit up room. He pushed the door open and slowly, carefully stepped inside.

John's dad was pinned against the wall by a variety of knives. Blood ran down from hundreds of cuts on his body like a waterfall on the wall. A sword is shoved through the center of his chest. Dave swallows the bile gathering in his throat and moves through the room carefully wrapping his fingers around the hilt of the sword. Taking shallow breaths to keep his concentration he keeps his eyes on the sword. Avoiding looking at the dangling body of the closest thing to a father figure Dave had since he was seven.

Dave pulls on the sword, but it doesn't budge. With an annoyed huff he carefully positions his foot on a dry spot on the wall and yanks. John's screams pierce through his concentration and Dave jerks to stare at the door. Some of his inhuman powers coming through when the sword cracks an sends him flying backwards into a puddle of blood on the floor. Broken sword clung tightly in his hands. 

Dave fights to keep the bile down and shoves himself up ignoring the blood dripping off his shirt as he runs down the hall, broken sword gripped tightly in his fists. He reaches John's room and glances inside. John's tied to the bed, tears and blood running down his cheeks. A dark man standing over him, a bushy black tail swishing behind him in excitement. His head is that of a dog, and feathered black wings sit folded at his back. He's holding a knife in his hand and poking it against his elongated snout in thought. The goddess of luck sits in John's computer chair, her eye flashing in a multitude of color as blue tears run down and stain her cheek. Her shoulders twitch as if she's fighting something, trying hard to regain the ability to move.

Another god stands behind her, a grin spread wide across his lips, stretching the thread that holds them sewn tightly together. His hair sticks out every which way as if it's never seen a brush and his horns waved up into the air similar to that of the god of music. He wore clothing decorated with bones Dave wouldn't be surprised were real. His eyes are also flashing as he watches John's torture on the bed. Movement drew Dave's eyes to the corner of the room where a third god stood. Looking older than the rest he appeared almost in his 30's. His face was drawn in unhappiness as he stared down at John, his eyes flashing even brighter than that of Vriska's. His hair and horns made him look almost like he were Karkat's dad. He wore a black cloak drawn over his head reminding Dave of the night his parents died.

John screams out again causing Dave to jerk smacking the broken sword against the door. One large dog ear twitches in Dave's direction. The rest of the face follows the turning ear and solid white eyes turn to stare at Dave. A wide grin spreading across the dog's muzzle showing a mouthful of deathly sharp fangs. "Why hello, Dave Strider."

Dave clutches the broken sword tightly drawing it up and bracing himself in the doorway. He bends his knees in preparation to flash step any way he needs. The dog man chuckles and moves closer. The god behind Vriska starts laughing, snorts coming out of his nose as he turns to watch Dave. With a quick flash the dog lunges at Dave, but he side-steps out of the way swinging the broken sword at his wolfish head. Black blood splatters out from one of the creature's eyes. It growls viciously, the god behind Vriska now bent over with laughter, hands on his sides as he wheezes in an attempt to catch his breath.

Vriska moves her arm up with wide eyes. Clenching her fist before moving her second robotic arm up to close the fingers in front of her eye like the other. Dave spots the movement as he lunges out of the way of another slice of the dog's knife. He moves to swing his sword again. "SPIDERBITCH!" Vriska's eye turns to stare at Dave, now solid blue and no longer flashing. He recoils from another slash of the knife and moves to block the blow with his sword. "You have to use your powers. Get John Out of here!" The dog growls and pushes down against Dave's sword forcing him backwards. 

Vriska turns to look at John. With a nod she jumps up and rushes for the bed. The laughing god behind her was too busy on his knees wheezing with laughter as he watches Dave and the dog-man fighting to notice Vriska's escape from his control. The god in the corner's eyes slowly stop flashing, melting into a solid red and focusing on the scene in front of him. 

The dog shoves Dave against a table and turns to growl at Vriska. He rushes forward towards Vriska and John. John screams out as black claws grab a hold of Vriska's hair yanking her back. The knife flashes in the light as he holds it up in preparation to plunge it into her throat. Dave flash steps up to them slicing at the dog's back causing him to howl out in pain, releasing Vriska. He turns with a horrid growl, drool dripping from his muzzle as he glares down at Dave. 

Dave holds the broken sword up, ready for another fight. Black blood drips down from the jagged tip. He glares at the dog, panting slightly. "Get him out of here Vriska. NOW!"

Vriska nods and lunges for the bed. The dog turns and throws his knife at her chest. John stares with wide eyes as Vriska lands on his chest wrapping her arms tightly around him. Dave blurs and re-appears in front of the dog blocking the view of the two as Vriska screams out "HIS LUCK HAS CHANGED TO GOOD!"

A sickening thunk fills the room. Dave glances down, moving one hand up he wraps his fingers around the hilt of the knife, yanking it out of his chest. Blood splashes out of the hole in his chest. He coughs dropping both blades and splattering more blood onto his hands. He looks up to watch John and Vriska disappear in a burst of blue smoke. His eyes move up slowly and settle on the solid red of the unmoving god in the corner. "I'm sorry..." he says, eyes filled with regret. Dave's vision starts to blur, the edges clouding as he falls forward. Blacking out before he even hit the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VOTING WILL BEGIN AT THE END OF THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! ARE YOU EXCITED? I AM!!!!
> 
> the options for the next chapter were:   
> Rose: Talk to Kanaya  
> Eridan: Stop Feferi
> 
> DON'T VOTE YET YA'LL!


	16. Living the Unlife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author really likes the idea of ghosts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my GOSH! Thank you guys soooo much for sticking with me through these re-writes! This is o-fish-ally the LAST rewrite chapter. which means.... YOU CAN VOTE!! HOORAY!!!!! <3 <3 I will try to update once or twice a week depending on my work schedule!
> 
> The winning chapter?  
> Eridan: Stop Feferi

Eridan scowls holding his gun at the ready as he follows Feferi through the thick fog. She has long thick hair pulled up at the top of her head in a pony tail trailing in curls down her back and reaching the back of her knees. Her horns go up at a slight curve at the top of her head and her eyes sparkle the brightest of fuchsia whenever she's excited. Which seems to be always. She's wearing a bright pink sleeveless shirt with a cuttle fish on the front and a blue skirt going just below her knees. Her feet are bare as she practically skips through the fog. Eridan's scowl only grows when he flinches almost shooting a giant white dragon sparkling overhead. "Why are we out here again Feferi? It's harder to protect you from out here you know."

Feferi turns her head pushing her pink rimmed glasses up on her nose before sticking her tongue out at him. Eridan keeps his hair well styled with only a strip of purple in the front to show the rebellious streak inside of him. His horns zigzag backwards from his crown and his eyes narrow in a deep violet in her direction. He's wearing a blue button shirt undone and untucked from his pinstripe black slacks. She turns and pets a small bullfly, then continues on her way. "Because, Eridan! I sensed somefin strong coming from this direction! It could be important! It could help with the revolution!!"

Eridan growls shooing the bullfly away as it tries to follow them. With a frustrated huff he stomps up to walk next to Feferi. "It's probably just another stupid Lusus! Let's go back." He reaches out with his opened hand to take her wrist.

Feferi shakes her head dramatically sending curls flying everywhere and dashes ahead before Eridan can grab a hold of her. She follows her senses heading for the power she can still feel humming in the back of her head. She stops in a clearing, no life or lisus around. The ground was dented in looking as if something large had fallen from the world above leaving a huge crater. She glanced into the smokey hole, her eyes widening in excitement at the bright orange glow within. "See Eri! It's ORANGE! No way is it a normal Lusus!!" She squeals with excitement hopping into the crator skidding down the sides towards the glowing orange ball in the center.

Eridan dives in the crater after her rushing to grab her hand just before she buries her webbed fingers into what looked like a glowing ball of orange feathers. Feferi turns a vicious glare at Eridan, yanking her hand back she slowly takes a few steps away from the creature. Eridan nods in satisfaction and points his gun at the floating orange fluff. With one last glance over at Feferi he pokes at it with the barrel of the gun. The feathers twitch. Curiously he digs the barrel harder into the feathers.

With a stream of curses an orange hand shoots out, looking more like the foot of a bird. It bats at the gun. "Whatever it is you want Jake get Dirk to get it for you. I'm trying to nap. And stop digging your gun into my shoulder blade."

Feferi's eyes widen in excitement and she bounces closer shoving Eridan aside and pushing her hands into soft orange plumage. With excited quick movements she shakes at the orange being. "Who's Jake? What's a Dirk? What's your name? Oh please wake up!"

The orange figure uncurls, giant wings unfolding as he stretches his bird-like hands above his head. He looks almost human, with orange hair blowing in the breeze and a clearly human torso, even his hands had five fingers like a humans would. His neck was ringed with the same soft orange feathers that graced the huge wings folding at his back. from the waste down was just plumes of orange smoke floating and disappearing into the breeze. He finished his stretch an turned a glare down at Feferi. Not that she could see it through the orange sunglasses on his face, but she could tell by the frown on his lips. "Who are you? Where am I? And why did you wake me up?"

Feferi grins flashing fangs in excitement. "My name is Feferi! This is my bodyguard Eridan! And you're in the underworld! You MUST be new here if you didn't know that!"

The bird scowls down at the two. Completely unimpressed by the large gun pointed at his chest. "The underworld? Like... Hell? Why would I be in- John... Where's John? Vriska took him. Did they make it out? You have to tell me!!"

Eridan slowly lowers his gun, blinking in confusion at the bird. "Vriska? As in the goddess of luck? Why would she bother to associate with a... John? She refuses to even hang out with me since her mate's death."

The bird huffs in annoyance, his feathers puffing up. He moves a hand up to run it through his hair, stopping when he sees the bird like claws replacing his fingers. Slowly he takes in every part of himself he can see. "Aw man... I'm dead AND I lost my legs? This is not cool. This is so far from cool it's practically on fire. I mean look at it it's even SMOKING!"

Feferi waves her hand in front of the bird's face in an attempt at bringing his attention back to her. He turns his head to stare at her a scowl in place. "Perhaps we should go back to my hive. We can talk there of this John and of Vriska. And how it is you came to be a Lusus Mr...?"

"Dave... Dave Strider." He raises an orange brow. "And What's a Lusus?"

Eridan scoffs an turns resting his gun on his shoulder. He starts walking up the side of the crater back the way they came. "The bird boy is an obvious idiot. He doesn't know anything!"

Feferi smiles wrapping her webbed fingers around Dave's coarse ones and pulling him along after Eridan. "A Lusus is a spirit! One that has been separated from it's living body! It means you AREN'T dead Dave. But your spirit is stuck outside of it for some reason. Unable to return."

Dave stops floating along beside Feferi causing her to drag him along in the air like a balloon. "So... I'm not dead?"

Eridan snorts. "Give the bird a cracker he's learned something."

A bright grin spreads across Feferi's face, obviously ignoring Eridan's snide comments. "Nope! You're just a little bit lost! And we're gonna try and fish out a way to help you fin your way home!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as I said in the beginning YOU CAN VOTE NOW!!! 
> 
> Chapter Options?  
> Feferi: Teach Dave about the Underworld  
> Kanaya: Comfort Rose


	17. Underworld Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author tells you a bunch of information.   
> Also: Fluff the cat! Cuz I'm original with names!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh you guys! So last tuesday I got home and got online to order some pizza and my fucking computer BLUE SCREENS! I get it to come back on and set it up to run virus scan while I go get my pizza, I come back and it's FROZEN in the virus scan, i tried again, it did it again. So I get my computer checked out and well... It fried. I fried my motherboard. So my plan of updating last tuesday for you obviously did NOT come to fruition! and thats why you guys didn't get an update last week! My new computer just arrived yesterday and I've spent all my time off attempting to learn how to use it (it's a windows 8. My old computer was Windows XP!) and so here I am!
> 
> Lets get this shit started!  
> The winning chapter?  
> Feferi: Teach Dave about the Underworld

Dave stares down at his bright orange reflection in the rippling water. "This... is a lake."

Feferi grins from her spot treading in the water. "Of course it is silly! This is the entrance to my hive!"

Dave raises a brow. "I'm not a fish."

"Whats the matter little bird? Afraid of a bath?" Eridan sneers at Dave before diving into the water, surfacing next to Feferi with a smug grin.

"I don't think birds can breathe under water. And I don't look like a duck. So my feathers are probably not water proof."

Feferi giggles and swims closer, with one swift swipe she splashes Dave with a sheet of water. Dave squalks his feathers puffing up completely undisturbed by the water. "See! You're fin! Now get in here so we can swim on! My hive has air in it SILLY!"

Dave sighs and flops into the water, sinking down under neith. Using his wings to push himself through the water he follows Eridan and Feferi as they swim through the water towards a dark cave below. A flurry of white fish swim around him as he propels himself forward. He watches Feferi and Dave disappear into the darkness of the cave, pushing himself harder to catch up and hopefully reach the air soon.

A bright white figure jerks in front of him blocking his path with a violent glare. A bubbled squalk escapes his lips as he gasps and fights to choke on the water invading his lungs. He barely regains his composure as his orange eyes glare at the solid white of the elongated face in front of him. The seahorse snorts and continues floating in front of the cave. Dave gulps, a thick fuzziness starting to fill his head as he begins to run out of breath. He looks up at the distance from the surface, and back at the darkness of the cave, trying to judge which is the best route to get breath in his lungs.

"Dad! This our friend let him through this instant!" Feferi reappears from the darkness, hands on hips as she glares down the seahorse. The seahorse looks at her with wide eyes before sending one final glare to Dave and swimming off. Dave pushes forward using all his strength to get through the entrance and into the cave. He breaks through the water gasping and coughing. His lungs greedily taking in air.

"Had to have a girl save you. What a wimp." Eridan smirks, standing on the bright coral surface of the cave floor. Dave snarled and looked around. The cave is brightly lit by openings in the ceiling. The floor and wall were a sparkling multitude of coral color looking almost like a giant shell.

"Eridan don't be mean!" Feferi climbs out of the water bopping him on the head before trudging down a pathway.

Dave scrambles out of the water moving over next to Eridan before shaking his body and wings to send water flying all over the scowling god. With a smirk he floated on after Feferi. "So why did I have to go through the water when there are so many openings in the top of this place?"

"Because swimming is fin!" Feferi bounces down the hall in excitement coming into a large opening of a room. The room was sparkling with coral just like the rest of the cave, a giant plush pink couch spread across one wall with two matching chairs against the other. A pink and purple rug took up the center of the room and framed pictures of various types of fish cluttered the walls. Curled up between the two chairs was a giant white ball of fur. Upon further inspection Dave saw a twitching tail and ears and quickly realized he was looking at a 6 foot tall cat.

His feathers fluff up and he starts backing up the way he came. Eridan pushes against his back. "You're going the wrong way little bird."

"Oh no I am not going in there. There is a GIANT cat in there. I am a bird and that is a cat that is plenty big enough to eat me. No fucking way. I draw the line at becoming cat food." Dave shoves Eridan intent on leaving the way he came.

"Dave fluff wont hurt you! She's too sweet!" Feferi bounces over grabbing Dave's hand and dragging him through the room towards the cat. A giant white head moves up, opening solid bright green eyes to stare at Dave. two pink tongues dart out to lick along two feline mouths. One above the other. Dave's eyes widen and he tries to pull out of Feferi's tight grip. The cat pushes itself up and walks closer staring down at the two. 

Dave gulps as Feferi yanks his hand up to wave the claws in front of the cat. "Please don't eat me cat."

"She can't hear you." Eridan supplies as he flops down sideways in one of the sideways chairs, legs flopped over the arm as he pulls his gun out and starts cleaning it.

"What?" Dave jerks his head to look at Eridan but instantly regrets it when his fingers connect with soft fur. He jerks his head back and barely resists the urge to yank away as his claws sink into the fur on the cat's chest.

"Fluff is deaf! She can't hear anyfin." Feferi supplies moving her hand off Dave's wrist and stepping back. A loud rumble sounds out from the cat causing Dave to flinch before he realizes it's a purr and not a growl. With a sigh of relief he pets the cat. It flops down next to him and nudges at his other hand with it's nose.

Scratching the giant cat behind it's twitching ears Dave looks at Feferi. "So, tell me about the underworld."

"It's simple!" she grins moving to sit delicately on the couch. "This is where souls go when they're stuck and their body is not dead. This area is run by the God of Souls, Lord English, and his two rebirths the god of confusion and the goddess of patience. Lord English is very strict and VERY loyal to the Queen so we avoid him at ALL COSTS! He doesn't actually know we're here! His son, Caliborn is a god who follows his own rules and does whatever he sees fit to do. Calliope, his daughter is kind and caring and helped us escape the world of the gods to this cave where we can hide from the Queen."

"Why are you hiding from the queen?" Dave keeps scratching at the cat as he watches Feferi chew on her lip.

"She's the next queen." Eridan supplies from his chair.

"I'm not the only one Eridan!" Feferi puffs her cheeks out at the other god.

"Could the bird boy possibly get an explanation here?"

Feferi sighs and looks down at her feet, kicking them in the air as she bites at her lip. "I am a goddess of power. The goddess of power is always the leader of Gods. But only takes the place of the leader when it kills the previous one."

"What makes you the goddess of power, or the future queen?"

Eridan snorts from his chair. "The goddess of power gains the powers of every god or goddess they come into contact with. So Feferi has a lot of power under those horns."

Feferi glares daggers over at Eridan. "I'm not as powerful as Meenah!"

"Meenah? The girl with the too long pigtails that hangs out with Latula? She's a goddess of power?" Dave stops petting the now sleeping cat.

"Yes, but she came into contact with the goddess of hiding before her unfortunate death so she's able to hide her power away from the Condesce. Everyone just thinks she's the goddess of tricks."

"Wait. So you and Meenah have the ability to kill the Condesce? And you're letting everyone suffer?" Dave's feathers fluffed up with annoyance.

"No, only a god of Death can kill another god. And neither of us have come into contact with the only god of death there was. Karkat Vantas."

Daves eyes light up and he shoots over practically nose to nose with Feferi. "I KNOW WHERE HE IS!"

Eridan jumps toppling from his chair with a curse. "You WHAT?"

Feferi blinks. "You know where Karkat is?"

"Yes! He's in my world! Hell he's my best friend's movie buddy! We just have to go there an-"

"We can't." Feferi cuts in before he can finish.

"What?"

"We can't go there. Only five people have the power to come and go from the underworld. Lord English, Calliope, Caliborn, the Condesce, and Karkat." Feferi scoots away from Dave looking down at her hands. "We can't leave."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter options are:  
> Karkat: Have a visitor  
> Rose: Go get John
> 
> Remember you can vote here or message me on my tumblr (also SuccubustyKisses) I will take your votes or answer any questions you have! As long as they aren't spoilers!


	18. Informative Begging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author gives you more fun information. And really likes Kanaya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning chapter by EVERY vote?  
> Karkat: Have a visitor

A polite knock sounds on the door rousing Gamzee from his nap. He sits up and looks around the apartment. Ever since the day at the park when they were reunited Gamzee has stayed with Karkat in his human home. He finds it nice to get away from the other gods and enjoys playing with all the little crab bros. Another knock sounds bringing Gamzee out of his crab filled train of thought as he turns his unpainted face to look at the scratched up red door. 

With a graceful sweep of his body he stands and strides across the apartment to the door, running his fingers on the scratches going down the wood before unlocking the door. Gripping the handle he pulls it open and peeks outside. The multiple sharp blades of a chainsaw greets him. He blinks with a confused honk and opens the door further to see more. 

"Hello Gamzee." a quiet voice rings out over the sounds of the city around them. "Might I come in and have a word with Karkat?" Gamzee tilts his head looking up from the turned off chainsaw to it's owner. Her hair is delicately curled spiraling up to her horns, one horn going up at a slight curve as the other raised up and jerked back down almost like an upside down check mark. Her lips are painted a deep green shade that matched the color of the makeup around her eyes which were half transformed into a state of excitement, a slight shade lighter than the makeup around them. She's wearing a loose black blouse with small white polka-dots tucked neatly into a pair of white pants and some ankle boots.

"I can't all up and invite you in blood loving sister." She raises a delicate brow as Gamzee gives a sinister smirk in her direction and continues. "You see this here isn't my hive so I've got no right to be inviting people in."

A frown crosses the goddesses face as she sighs. "Gamzee, you know I am not a threat unless you make me one. Now please allow me to enter I need to have a word with Karkat."

"What the ever loving fuck are you doing standing there with the door open like that? You're letting the fucking heat out you idiot!" Karkat stomps over to the door, his hair dripping from the shower. Wearing only a pair of red plaid pyjama pants a large scar runs across his back from right shoulder blade across to right hip is visible to the world.

"Hello Karkat." The female god says in a soothing almost motherly tone when his scowling face comes into view below Gamzee's arm. "Might I come in and have a word with you?"

"Kanaya?" Red eyes go wide as Karkat ducks under Gamzee's arm to get a better look. "What are you doing he- why the fuck do you have a chainsaw?"

Kanaya smiles petting the turned off chainsaw with a well manicured green nail. "Just in case I need to use force."

 

A fierce growl sounds out from behind Karkat causing him to turn his head to stare at Gamzee. Solid purple eyes glared down at Kanaya, another loud growl rumbling from the lanky god's chest. With a frustrated sigh Karkat pushed on Gamzee's chest drawing his attention. "We're going to let her in Gamzee, and there won't be any need to use force. So calm the fuck down and go sit down." The taller god honks and shuffles across the floor flopping sideways onto the couch, one leg going up over the back the other dangling over the arm. He rests his head on the other arm and stares blankly at the ceiling.

Kanaya smiles and follows Karkat as he walks into the apartment, she shuts the door carefully behind her blinking at the rivlets running down the chipped paint on the door. "Have you attacked your door recently Karkat?"

"What the fuck does it matter what I do to my fucking door. Why are you here?" Karkat stomps over to Gamzee sitting down on the couch in front of the other's legs. Red eyes turn to glare at the intruding goddess.

Kanaya sighs and moves to sit in a chair, setting her chainsaw down in her lap she fidgets nervously with her nails for a moment before beginning. "Karkat, I need your help."

"No."

"Karkat please. My mate is in distress, the world around me is falling to pieces, and I know you can fix it." Kanaya turned solid eyes up to plead with the former god.

"What the fuck do you expect me to do? Bleed all over your problems? Attack another door perhaps? I'm human now! I'll probably die soon so why can't you just leave me alone until I do?" Karkat glares at the chainsaw resting in the other's lap.

"You're not going to die Karkat."

"What?"

Kanaya takes a deep breath and stops fidgeting, her eyes bleeding back to normal as she smiles slightly. "Karkat, do you know what my godhead is?"

"The fuck do I care what your stupid fucking power is." Karkat scowls up at her.

"Karkat, I'm the goddess of information." Kanaya supplies. "And I know for a fact you are not going to die any time soon, especially as a human, for you are NOT mortal." 

Karkat stands up, now solid red eyes glaring down at her. "You're a liar. Nepeta is the goddess of information, everyone knows that. It's why she's in the resistance."

"Nepeta is the goddess of friendship. I supply her with all her information so that I can stay out of the fights, and she can be a part of them like she wishes. You are not mortal Karkat, you haven't been for many, many years." Kanaya stared back up at the angry ex god in front of her. "After you were sentenced to your fate Sollux was crushed. He spent every waking moment searching for a way to bring you back. He barely slept, only getting sleep when he passed out from exhaustion usually with his face in a book or on top of the keyboard of his beloved computers. Seeing her chance Aradia made a deal with him. She would use her powers to preserve your life and in return he would give her a chance to be his new mate. Sollux agreed. They've been together for ten years, and she's been keeping you alive the whole time."

A single red tear escapes from Karkat's left eye as he flops back down on the couch hard, causing Gamzee to honk in shock. He runs his hands through his hair cursing. After a few minutes he lets out a shuttering breath. "What do you want Kanaya?"

"Your power." She answers simply.

"I don't have any, even Aradia can't bring those back to me, only a god or goddess of power can." 

Kanaya sighs watching Karkat stare at his feet. "You're right, they are in fact still locked up inside of you. But, a shaman can still use them."

Karkat's head jerks up to stare at her. "And where the fuck are we supposed to find a shaman? The damned human yellow pages!?"

Kanaya chuckles and smiles lightly. "Excuse my lack of tact in this statement, but I'm sleeping with one."

"Your mate?"

"Yes, my mate Rose is a shaman. She can take your powers into herself and use them. I need you to let her, we have to go to the underworld I'm afraid." A proud smile graces her face as she continues. "You see Rose's step brother refuses to leave the hospital after his friend was put into a coma protecting him from Jack Noir."

Karkat straightens up and stares at her. "The god of corruption?"

"Correct. And it turns out that as a god he could not die, but his soul separated from his body and now resides in the underworld. We must go there and get him back so that Rose can get John home and rested."

Karkat's eyes widen again. "John?"

Kanaya's smile turns sad. "Yes Karkat, your human friend John. Jack killed his father and Rose's mother, and was going to kill him if Dave and Vriska had not saved him. Unfortunately Dave was stabbed by Jack in the process of saving him."

Karkat opened his mouth, then shut it again. A loud curse erupts from his lips as he punches the arm of the couch causing another honk from the zoned out god beside him. "This is my fault."

"That isn't true. Now please, help us? If not for me, then for John and Dave. They need help that only you can supply." Kanaya's eyes pleaded, her lips left partially opened in preparation to beg further.

"Fuck. Fine lets go." Karkat stands up and stomps over to the door to his bedroom. "Just let me get changed."

Kanaya sighs with relief relaxing as a smile spreads across her face again. Being the goddess of information had its perks, like learning of Aradia and Sollux's deal, and that Rose could still use Karkat's dormant powers. But she couldn't see everything, so she didn't know if Karkat would actually agree to do it. 

Long legs flipped over and connected with the floor drawing Kanaya's eyes back up to Gamzee. "You're coming?" She questioned softly.

He looked up at her, determination in his eyes. "Where Karbro goes, I go. Plus I got some bad ass motherfucking attachments down there in the miracle world of souls."

Kanaya nods. "Thank you Gamzee. I'm glad you're willing to help."

Gamzee turns still solid eyes to the small Goddess. "I'm not doing it for you motherfucker. I'd rather see you spread out on the floor surrounded by the sparkling miracle color of your own blood from a hole in your chest. I'm doing this for Karbro. Don't get in the way."

Kanaya narrowed her eyes clutching her chainsaw tightly. "Then you stay out of mine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter?  
> Rose: Use your powers  
> Fluff the cat: Stalk the bird boy
> 
> don't forget to vote or you may not get to see the option you want!


	19. One Powerful Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write in the view of fluff the cat. Oh well! The story progresses closer to it's completion!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning chapter?  
> Rose: use your powers

Gamzee sits on the floor of the room, sinking into the plush black carpet underneath him, leaning against the lavender walls. The apartment they entered was huge, the main room a lavender color with a giant tv lining one wall, two plush leather couches takes up one corner with a table set between them. The table has two coasters on it, one green, the other purple, and two laptops set one atop the other. The walls are littered with framed documents and delicate paintings. A circular white table takes up the middle of the room. A pair of dice rest in the center of the table. Kanaya sits on one of the couches, her chainsaw set on the floor beside her. Karkat scowls on the other couch impatiently glaring at the floor.

"How much longer!" he hisses for like the sixth time.

"Rose will be here shortly. She text me that she is on her way. Please be patient. Would you like a drink perhaps?" Kanaya smiles at Karkat who shakes his head violently. "How about you Gamzee? I'm afraid we do not have any soft drinks but I believe we have some sweetened iced tea? Oh! Cake! We have cake. Would you two like some cake?"

Gamzee opens his mouth to answer but Karkat cuts in first "No Kanya, we don't want any of your fucking human cake. I want to get this shit over with and go back to my own fucking miserable human life." 

"Can you really go back to thinking you're a mortal human now? To trying to forget about us? About Sollux, after learning the truth. Do you really want to throw us all away?" Kanaya gently folds her hands into her lap, her head slightly tilted as she watches the smaller god flinch.

"Fuck you. I don't even fucking care about any of you stupid-" A door opens inside the apartment drawing everyone's attention. 

"I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting." A soft voice cuts in. "I was trying to get John to leave the hospital. Sadly it did not work." A woman walks into the room. She looks to be in her late teens, early twenties, her pale blonde hair is cut to her chin in the front rising up at an angle to a short choppy style in the back. Her skin is a delicate white that shows no signs of ever having seen sunlight. Her eyes sparkle in the same shade as the walls around them and she has a pair of thin framed purple glasses resting on her nose. She's wearing a dark purple dress with a squid swimming across the front and over her left shoulder. "You must be Karkat. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you from John and Kanaya."

A slight red blush spreads across Karkat's cheeks. "I'm sure it's all fucking boring nonsense. Can we go now?"

"Your manners know no bounds." She smiles taking off the glasses and folding them delicately in front of the laptops. With sure confident steps she walks across the room to lean over in front of Gamzee and holds out a hand. "Hello. My name is Rose Lalonde." 

Gamzee blinks up at her and slaps her hand like a high five. "Nice to meet you pretty eyed motherfucker."

Rose giggles covering her mouth with her hand. "Thank you for the compliment. What's your name dear?"

Gamzee honks and introduces himself. Satisfied Rose gives one last smile before turning to Karkat. "Now we can do this. Are you ready, God of Death?"

"I've been fucking ready for hours now while you piddle the fuck around with John human and that drugged up idiot on the floor." Gamzee honks again. "After this is over you better leave me the fuck alone."

"Of course. It's a promise we will not force you to do anything else." Rose walks over to Karkat. She raises her right hand up and with a soft touch places her pointer and middle finger in the center of Karkat's forehead. Moving her left hand she places the same two fingers gently over his heart. "Let us get this over with."

Rose closes her eyes, a look of peace crossing her face. Karkat chews on his lip staring up at her, his leg shakes and fidgets with nervous annoyance. Her eyes open, glowing a solid bright white that blinds the small god for a moment. She tilts her head down to look at him, slightly opening her mouth as the white light glows behind her lips. Karkat scoots back into the couch, pressing himself into the soft leather. Rose moves forward her face serene as it draws closer to the scared death god. With a soft ice cold touch her lips connect with his own hot ones. 

A spark of pain fills his mouth causing him to gasp in shock. Taking the opportunity Rose seals their mouths together tightly. Karkat's eyes bleed into a deep solid red his body going limp. His gray skin starts to glow lightly quickly followed by a bright flash of red light spreading out from his eyes and swarming his body, spreading over to hers until both are covered in a solid red glow. The glow gets brighter into a flash that causes both Kanaya and Gamzee to shield their eyes. When they look again Karkat is gone.

Rose stands up straight, her skin a dark gray and her hair a solid white. Her body glows with a crackling black aura as she turns solid red eyes to Kanaya. She smiles brightly at the goddess who stands smiling back. "Shall we go now?" Kanaya says leaning down to pick up her chainsaw.

Rose scowls "It's about fucking time." Karkat's voice escapes from her angry black pout. Gamzee stands up and walks over draping himself over Rose's shoulders. Kanaya shoots a glare at the tall god who grins flashing his fangs. Rose ignores them as they have their stare off, raising her hand up a black glow shines at the tip of her finger. With a slice downward a crackling black line appears in the air. Moving both hands up she pushes her fingers through the line and pulls her hands apart, stretching the line into an open hole. Fog escapes from the opening, slowly filling the room. 

Rose steps back and Gamzee detangles himself stepping over to the portal. With an awkward step he walks through the opening disappearing into the fog. Clutching her chainsaw tightly Kanaya follows. Rose takes up the last going through. With a loud pop the portal disappears behind her. "I can't believe that fucking worked." She stares in wonder at the spot where the portal was, now only an old willow tree trunk covered in moss. 

"I do wish you wouldn't use such foul language with my mate's mouth." Kanaya sighs looking around at the dense fog. "You do know your way around, right Karkat?"

"Of course I fucking don't." The angry scowl crosses Rose's face again as she turns to glare at Kanaya. "What do I look like a fucking map?"

Gamzee walks up placing his hand on Rose's shoulder. "I got this shit motherfucker."

Rose blinks up at him, her own voice coming out "You know the way Gamzee?"

"Sure do my double spirited friend. I come down here all the time to play with all the miracles." He smiles down at her and starts walking through the fog. With a shrug Kanaya and Rose follow.

"How do you come down here Gamzee?" Kanaya asks as she carefully steps over a glowing white snail in their path.

"A have connections." He looks over his shoulder grinning wide, his eyes a solid purple as he trudges on to a destination only he knows.

"Pounce!!" A male voice calls out from the fog causing all three to jerk their heads in it's direction.

"Her name isn't Pounce! It's fluff! You'll confuse her!" A female voice rings through the air.

"She's deaf. Calling her a different name isn't going to confuse her. I could call her a hot piece of pussy and all she'd do is sneak up on me and dive bomb me like a fucking lion on a zebra." The male voice replies. "Now how about we stop arguing over what to call the giant cat and get it OFF of me instead!"

"That's Dave." Rose says, both her own and Karkat's voices mixing as they turn running in the direction of the voices. Kanaya hurries after her. They rush through the fog pushing branches of trees and dodging glowing white figures until they come to a clearing. A crystal lake sparkles in front of them, a giant seahorse turns its head to look in their direction. 

"I think you deserve it." the unknown female calls out. Rose and Kanaya jerk their heads in the direction spotting a giant ball of fluff, long swishing tail in the air. "You should call fluff by her name!"

"Dave?" Roses voice sounds out as she walks towards the wall of fur. The body jerks a giant white cat head turning bright sparkling green eyes to look at them. It opens both it's mouths and lets out an excited meow before rushing towards them.

Kanaya dives in front of Rose, pulling her chainsaw up her thumb on the switch to turn it on. "KANAYA DON'T!" Dave shouts out causing her to freeze, the cat skids to a stop inches away from them, leaning its large head down to sniff around the goddess at Rose. It's head tilts as if confused.

"Dave?" Feferi questions moving around the cat to look at the two girls. "Who is fish?"

Dave snorts floating up over the cat to look down at them. "Really? Replacing this with fish? That's bad even for you Feferi." He waves a clawed orange hand down at them. "Hello Rose, Kanaya. How'd you get here?"

Rose looks up, her eyes widening as she looks at Dave. "You're a bird." Karkat's voice comes out from her mouth.

Feferi's eyes widen. She rushes around the cat to get right in Rose's face. "I know that voice!"

An awkward look crosses Roses face and she steps back. "Hello Feferi." Karkat's voice rings through. "We've come here to get Dave and bring him home." Roses voice that time.

"Well hell yeah!" Dave moves down to hug Rose excitedly. "Lets get the heck out of here this place is boring!" The cat lets out a sound that could only be described as a whimper. "Except you Pounce you rock. You rock harder than a boulder. You're so cool you could freeze over hell." The cat watches Dave's lips move, a smile spreading across it's twin lips. 

"Where's Gamzee?" Kanaya cuts in, looking around the clearing for the god.

"The question should not be where the clown is, but who are you, and why are you in my land?" A cracking voice fills the air causing all heads to turn. A being stands before them, its skin a sickly green color stretched taunt against it's skull. Fangs showing around its lack of lips and a dark hole in the center of it's face where a nose should be. It was clad only in a pair of dull green pants and glowing green suspenders. It's red eyes narrow, swirls of red glowing on it's cheeks as it steps closer. The creature grins viciously moving it's clawed hands up to pull on its suspenders.

"Caliborne." Karkat and Feferi say at the same time. The vicious grin spreads even wider. 

"Is that you God of Death?" Caliborne laughs. "You've become soft in your human years. Such disgusting features you've taken in. Are you really living inside the body of a human female? How vile!" 

Kanaya flicks the switch to her chainsaw. Caliborne's red eyes turn to settle on her. "You dare threaten me in my own territory?"

"You have taken it upon yourself to insult my mate. So I have taken it upon myself to defend her honor." Kanaya holds the chainsaw up in front of her chest a solid glare pointed in Caliborne's direction.

"There you are!" Gamzee stumbles into the area a stupid grin on his face. "I was wondering where you all motherfucking went. There I was staring at the most beautiful of miracles in the sky and I turn back and you guys are all up and gone!"

"Clown!" Caliborne scowls over at Gamzee. "You're late! You were supposed to be here two days ago."

"Was I?" Gamzee tilts his head a look of confusion crossing his face. "Aw man, I must have motherfucking forgot." 

Caliborne stomps over to the clown grabbing his arm. "You guys are lucky he's here or I'd kill you all!" He scoffs dragging the tall god behind him to disappear into the fog with a soft honk.

Kanaya blinks shutting off her chainsaw. "Should we go after them?"

"He's fine. That fucking idiot has been coming here to play with the confused skull since I was a grub." Karkats voice breaks through as he turns to Dave. "Lets just get you fucking home to John."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter?  
> John: be at the hospital  
> Kanaya: take Karkat home
> 
> Be sure to vote for the chapter you want or you may not get to read it!


	20. A Car, Some Tears, and a Dirty Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author stabs at your SolKar feels a little bit more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! I'm so excited to have so many of you super sweet and adorable people reading and voting! But even with all of you devoted readers who are voting (even the anon votes I get on my tumblr) I can still get ties!!
> 
> So when it came time to write today I was TIED! 8 to 8 on this chapter. In a fair (esk) turn of events after getting no further votes from my tumblr post asking for one more I decided it was best to ask my roommate. So I gave her the two options (mind you she is not homestuck) and she decided on this chapter. So make sure to vote so someone who actually reads it has a say in the story!
> 
> The randomly chosen chapter?  
> Kanaya: take Karkat home

Kanaya sighed her finger gripping the leather of the steering wheel tightly as she glanced over at Karkat. He sat unbuckled in the leather seat next to her, his feet pulled up into the chair and his shoes on the floorboard below him. His arms are wrapped around his arms and he stares blankly out at the passing buildings.

"Stop fucking sighing." He mumbles as his eyes follow a dirty looking dog trudging ownerless down the street. 

"Karkat I..."

"No." His fangs peek out to chew on his lower lip as he turns to further have his back pointed to her.

With a frustrated huff Kanaya pulls off the street, unbuckling herself to turn and glare solid jade eyes down at him. "Karkat Vantas! You are an adult and it's about damn time you started acting like one! The whole world needs your help. Rose is MORTAL and she's shoved herself into the resistance. I have to go with her. And I think she'd be better with your help. You could turn the tables on this war. You could go back to the world of our people. With honor! Don't you WANT to come back?"

Karkat's claws dig into his thighs as he keeps his face turned completely away from her. "No. I'm not one of you anymore. I don't want to fight."

"Not even for Sollux?" Kanaya tilted her head, hopeful as she reached out to grab his shoulder.

With a stiff jerk he knocks her hand off of him. "Sollux has Aradia! He doesn't need me." 

Kanaya narrows her eyes. "I already told you what happened. Sollux LOVES you Karkat. He always will! Are you really just going to throw away any chance at ever REALLY being happy with him again because you don't want to fight?"

Fisting his hands Karkat jerks a solid red glare at the goddess. A single red tear escapes his left eye as he bares his fangs at her. "What the fuck do you care Kanaya? It's not YOUR love. Not YOUR life! You have your shaman! I gave Feferi the powers of death she can kill the condesce and you all can be one big happy fucking family WITHOUT me in it!"

Kanaya's eyes follow the path of another tear escaping the angry god's eyes and she sighs, her head dropping. Turning she buckles herself back in and shifts her green Chevy Cobalt back onto the road. Karkat jerks his back to her and glares out the window. Silent tears continue to escape his eyes with every blink, sticking to his lashes as he glares at a couple of gods walking hand in hand down the sidewalk. One had uneven cut hair and tall horns with five points coming out the back of them. Her eyes sparkled a bright blue and she wore a simple black shirt with bubbles on it, her belly showing over her plain black cargo pants. A bright orange crystal dangling down from her scar covered neck resting just above her breasts. The male had short spiked up hair and horns that rose up and curled tightly. He wore a baggy orange shirt with a target-like star on the chest and some plain cargo jean shorts with orange converse shoes. His bright orange eyes stared intently at his mate's as a smile spread across his face. Karkat growled as the couple disappeared from his view. 

"Why?" Karkat blinks and glances over his shoulder at Kanaya, unsure if he actually heard the whispered question. He looked at her clenched jaw, the sparkle of unshed tears making her eyes seem an even darker shade of green. Her knuckles are white where she grips tightly to the wheel. 

He swallows the lump in his throat and licks his lips. "Why?" She doesn't look at him, just nods slowly, defeat etched across her usually proud features. He looks down, holding his palms out in front of his knees. "Why didn't anyone look for me? Why did no one tell me what Sollux did, what Aradia's doing? Why do I have to find out now?"

A look of guilt crosses her features as Kanaya turns the wheel to round a corner. "I'm sorry Karkat. I... knew where you were all along. But I also knew you didn't want to see me. And, I thought because Tavros was always around you that he was keeping you company. I'm afraid I didn't learn until recently that he didn't tell you of his sister and Sollux's deal."

Karkat's eyes widened as he stared at her, his mouth slightly open in shock. "Tavros? Always around me?" Karkats hands clenched tightly into fists. "I haven't seen anyone in twelve years. The first time I've seen Tavros since the day I was tried was the day he appeared at my fucking doorstep with Sollux."

"He... didn't talk to you?" Kanaya's face filled with shock as she stopped the car in front of Karkat's apartment. "Some goddess of information I am if I didn't even know that. I should have known he wouldn't tell you even if he did talk to you, being so devoted to his sister. I'm so sorry Karkat. I should have been more attentive."

Karkat unclenched his fists and sighed, opening the door and climbing out. He turns and leans back in the car "Just... don't tell him I still love him. Okay?" Without getting an answer Karkat stands up straight shutting the door to the car and turning to walk up his steps.

Kanaya stares at Karkat's back until it disappears behind the beat up red door before pulling her car back out onto the busy street. "It's not my place to tell." She says to the empty car, her eyes bleeding back to normal. "I have all the information I need now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you may have noticed the insertion of non-cannon trolls in this chapter! I thought, if Hussie can insert the well paid for fantrolls into the recent updates, why can't I make fantrolls into the backgrounds? so using some fantrolls I've come across I added them in! If you would like your own fantroll/Kid added into the story's background send me a message with their description on my Tumblr SuccubustyKisses and I'll see what I can do!
> 
> What will the next chapter be? Make sure to vote!  
> Dave: try to go back into your body  
> Feferi: Prepare for battle
> 
> Remember there are many options to vote on anon if you have anxiety or fear!


	21. Unsuccessful Invasions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author has fun with a bit of comedy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning chapter  
> By EVERY ANON VOTE I HAD AND MOST OF THE NON ANON (sorry other two voters)  
> Dave: Try to get back in your body

Dave looks up at the hospital, a boring white square of a building with millions of windows, various curtains drawn open or closed. He floated up to the level of the giant white cat who refused to stay behind and pat her on the head, her eyes turning to look at him. "Which one do you think is mine pounce?"

The cat tilted her head her glowing green eyes rolling up in thought. Her eyes light up in a look of excitement and her paw shoots out pinning the orange boy down with twin grins. She leans down, her mouths opening in a huge cheshire smile as her nose buries into the feathers against Dave's neck. She gives a big sniff, then sneezes causing a girly squeal of disgust to come out of the still-pinned boy. With a guilty grin the cat lifts it's paw and trots over to the building leaving Dave to his girly whimpers on the ground.

Pounce bounds up to the building and begins sniffing at each window, starting from the furthest on the left near the bottom and going over, carefully stepping over people as she comes across them. Dave finally calms down after rolling around in the grass for a few moments and floats back up to watch the cat, grass clinging to his feathers and hair as he floats closer. "Any luck?" The cat shakes her head and pushes her paws onto the building to lift herself onto her hind legs so she can reach the third floor, sidling awkwardly to the side as she sniffs. 

"Hey... It's okay, I'll just fly room-to-room until I find myself. It can't be that hard!" The cat turns and glares at Dave, snorting an impatient huff before scooching to the next window, freezing. She sniffs the window again her eyes going wide with excitement. She turns her head to grin at Dave, then back to the window, falling back with a loud thump in shock when she comes giant pink nose to face with a startled boy. "Pounce are you o... JOHN!!"

Dave zips up to the window in an orange flash leaving a few loose feathers and strands of grass in his wake. Jerking to a stop he presses his hands against the outside of the window staring with a giant excited grin at the shocked boy on the other side. John's eyes looked sunken in, dark circles underneath of them, and his hair was mussed like he just woke up pieces sticking up everywhere even worse than his normal style. His clothes are a wrinkled mess and his lips cracked and swollen from him constantly chewing on them. "Dave?" He stares with wide blue eyes at the form before him. "Dave, you have no legs."

Dave laughs pulling the weird ghost-like formation that took up his lower half to show the boy. "Yeah... I don't really know why, the other lusus have them I guess I'm just special? Come on let me in!" John moves along the window, twisting the little handle in the center to open up the left side of the double window. Dave slips in awkwardly, getting stuck for a moment on his wings before getting it right and pushing himself through into the room. He grabs the exhausted looking boy and yanks him into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe I've been so worried while I was stuck in that crappy underworld. Too much fog! It was like a damn fog factory I don't think it ever cleared up there.... dude you look like shit have you even showered?"

John laughs half-heartedly sniffing his shirt before recoiling a bit and scratching the back of his head. "Well you've been gone for a month now... I didn't want to leave your side. You almost died man." Tears escaped from his blue eyes and he quickly scrubbed them away with the back of his hand. "I guess you did die..."

"What? No! I'm not dead. You can't kill a Strider! We're too cool to die." Dave scruffed John's hair with a soft smile. "I'm just kinda... Stuck outside my body right now! But that's why I'm here! Gonna get right back in that sexy bitch right now!" He floats over to the bed, a scowl of disgust spreading across his face at all the wires and tubes attached to his pale form lying across the mattress in front of him. He poked a clawed finger at his face, scowling when it hit solid and didn't absorb into it.

John watches from the window as Dave floats up into the air flipping over and flopping down on his body with an oomph. "Dave... I don't think this is working..." 

"Fuck man be patient it will!" Dave floats back up and glares down at himself, pulling open his mouth carefully and trying to stuff his hand inside. "He can't resist me forever! No one can I got the strider charm!"

The door opens silently. "Hey kid I brought you some more cleaning supplies and deodorant you really need it... Dave?" Dave looks up from glaring down at his body, fingers still stuffed in his own mouth as he blinks over at Bro in the doorway. 

"Bro!" Dave yanks his hand away and darts over to his brother clinging around his chest in a big hug. "Aw man Bro you wouldn't believe the shit I've seen down there!"

Bro stares down at Dave. "Dave... you're orange."

Dave huffs pushing away, his feathers fluffing up in annoyance. "What is wrong with you people! Is it so wrong to ask for a warm welcome home! Yes I'm a bird, yes I have no legs, yes I'm orange! I know this!!"

"Dave why is there a giant cat outside the window?" John stares at the large pink nose pushing against the opened window.

Bro chuckles and ruffles Dave's hair. "I was wondering why there was a giant cat outside... She trying to eat you Lil man?"

Dave fixes his hair with a glare at the older Strider. "Pounce? Nah man she's all fluff and no bite... Which is ironic cuz she's got two mouths. She came back from the underworld with me. Wants to be a part of the Strider family I bet."

Bro raises a brow walking over to the window and looking into the bright green eyes of the cat outside. "Is she cool enough to be a Strider?"

Dave snorts. "She's a two story high cat with two mouths who can't hear a damn thing you say about her. What could possibly be cooler than that? Except us of course."

John walks over to the bed finally pushing the sleeping form's mouth shut again. "Am I cool enough to be a Strider?"

Bro snorts exactly as Dave had just a moment before and turns to the young boy. "Sorry Kid, a dork like you has to marry into the strider name." A bright red blush spreads across John's face as he glares down at Dave's sleeping form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WEEEEEEEE Okay! Next chapter?  
> Roxy: Argue with your boyfriend  
> Karkat: Be really frustrated by the amount of annoying visitors you've been getting lately


	22. Seven Annoying Sins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author shows her love of the seven deadly sins!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning chapter by ONE vote?  
> Karkat: Be really frustrated by the amount of annoying visitors you've been getting lately

Karkat lay in his room. Walls a pale gray color and a cherry oak dresser in the corner next to an opened closet full of red and black t-shirts. Dark curtains block the window adjacent to a twin sized bed with no headboard pressed against the wall a thick comforter on top, gray with red and blue flowers, and a single undecorated pillow. The blanket has holes in it, stuffing popping out next to karkat's curled fist as he lay on his side glaring at the window.

A ringing echos through the house causing him to flinch and glare at the opened door to his room. "No... just.... fuck no." He closes his eyes, digging his claws into the blanket as the ringing sounds out again. A few moments pass and a loud knock sounds, filling the silence of the apartment. Karkat curses and yanks his pillow over his head. "Fuck off!" 

"You know it's not very nice to ignore someone who has come all this way just to see you. What if it were raining outside. You don't have a porch we could have gotten sick! How would you feel if we just left you outside in the rain to catch your death of cold. Do you think that would be fun? Here we are coming to see you for your own good and you just lay here ignoring us. We even took the decency to knock on the door instead of coming in so we wouldn't trigger you but you ignored us. How very rude!"

Karkat jerks up to shoot a solid red glare at the intruder in his doorway. He stands with pale gray skin looking almost white in the darkness of the apartment. He's wearing an over sized red sweater with tight black pants and bright red shoes. His black hair is spiked up and tipped in red as he turns his own solid red eyes to glare at Karkat, his mouth opening to continue his rant. "Get the fuck out Kankri!"

"That language is so rude! Did you kiss your mate with that mouth? I don't think I deserved such a thing at all! You are being nothing but rude when we are your guests!" His arms cross over his chest as he glares down his nose at Karkat.

"Hey Horuss! Come check out these crabs!" Karkat's eyes widened as he stares past Kankri to the now lit apartment behind him. Voices and noises of movement echoing down the hall towards his room.

"Oh my fucking god."

"Well yes we are gods. Don't act so stupid it's rude to those that don't actually know that. How would you feel if I went around saying 'oh my ex god' all the time."

Karkat stands up and stomps past Kankri, shoving him aside as he storms into his living room. Every light in the room is on, one girl lay sprawled across his couch, horns curling at the side of her head, and her black hair pulled back in a high ponytail, draped over the arm of the couch. She's wearing a white Tee shirt with Sailor Mini-Moon on it and a miniskirt. She has one leg draped over the back of the couch and the other flopped off the edge flashing her dark red panties to the room.

Over at the tank that holds Karkat's Coral Crabs two more gods lean over faces pressed against the glass. One has huge horns going out the side of his head, longer than the tank and curving up. His Hair is styled up in long spikes, red and brown coloring sprinkled through the black locks. Brown wings folded against his back, touching the ground and twitching from time to time, sparkling with the movement in the light. He's wearing just a pair of baggy black pants with straps dangling down from them. 

The other has tall horns going up into arrow points. His long black hair is pulled back at the nape of his neck. He's wearing a pair of anime-style goggled on top of his head and his blue eyes sparkle as he stares at the crabs moving around in the water. He has on a pair of tight blue jeans and a blue button-down shirt with no sleeves. "Look at them moving around! I bet my seahorses would love them." He says excitedly poking at the glass."

"What the fuck are you guys doing here!?" Three heads turn to stare at Karkat standing in the entrance of the hallway, Kankri behind him shaking his head. "How is it I go twelve fucking years with none of you stupid fucks bothering me and now in the past three months it's been non stop? Did I stumble into a fucking curse? Why are you idiots in my apartment I didn't invite you! How did you even get in!?"

The girl on the couch glares, her red eyes staying normal as she extends her middle finger and mumbles something off in a different language before rolling her head to look the other way again. The one with the wings stands up straight clearing his throat and scratching the back of his head. "Hey sorry man. We were sent to get you and stuff, we didn't know you were home, we just thought we'd wait inside and all... Cronus picked the lock."

Karkat covers his face with his hands letting out a frustrated groan. "Are all seven of you idiot sins here?"

A soft female voice echoes through the apartment. "Why yes we are Karkat. You're looking exceptionally delicious today. How about you and me go out for a bite."

Karkat leans against the wall dragging himself down and burying his head into his knees not even looking up at the speaker. "Porrim, no. Don't pull your lust bullshit on me. Just fucking no."

Porrim pouts, green eyes sulking at Karkat's curled up form. Her hair is brushed over one shoulder and cascading down to her waist. She's wearing a green fishnet shirt over top of a black bra and shorts. Her sandals weave up her legs past her knees. She sighs heavily and pouts.

Kankri scowls down at Karkat. "That is very rude Karkat! Porrim just wants to take you out for a meal and here you are refusing to even look at her! She puts a lot of work into her appearance so she can be pleasing to everyone around her and you're not even going to grace her with a single glance!"

"Shut the fuck up pride!"

"Is he really going to call us by our titles?" The male with the arrowed horns asks, Turning to look at the other. "Because being called gluttony always makes me feel fat... And you're not lazy at all!"

The winged god hugs the other and pats his head. "Don't worry Horuss. You're not fat! You're a glutton for love!"

"All of you douche sucking numb skulls are here aren't you?" Karkat glares up at each one in turn.

"Yes, all seven sins are here Karkat." Porrim stares down at him with a frown still in place on her perfectly painted lips.

"Why.... and where are the other two?" Karkat cranes his neck to look around for the missing gods of greed and envy.

"They're in the kitchen. You really don't have a very good selection of treats to feed your guests." Porrim walks over sitting down on the couch next to the other goddess, glancing over at her underwear with a smirk.

"I don't fucking want guests. Why are you here?" Karkat sighs standing up and heading for the kitchen.

"We've come to get you." The winged god supplies. Karkat jerks around to stare wide eyed at the group.

"Get me for what?"

"We've been hired to bring you back to our world." Horuss supplies with a toothy grin.

"No. Fuck no. Oh my god Fucking no! I am not going anywhere with you. Any of you." 

"That's a shame." A male voice comes from behind Karkat, he starts to turn but a solid crack sounds, and splitting pain shoots through the back of his head. His eyes go wide and he falls to his knees, his vision blurring as he watches the goddess of wraith sit up and watch him fall, a grin splitting her face. 

"Cronus! You didn't have to hit him we could have just drugged him!" A female voice rings in his head as Karkat hits the carpet. Vision going completely black.

"Yeah... but this was more fun."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter options?  
> Karkat: Wake up in the other world  
> Dave: See what pounce drug home
> 
> Hey guys! Thanks for being sooooo awesome, seriously I love you guys!!   
> I hope you like how I split up the seven sins! (or what you've learned of them) I just really wanted to put them into the story!!
> 
> Don't forget to vote! The faster I get votes in the faster I update!!


	23. Strike a Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author brings you closer and closer to the end of the story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winner by SO MANY VOTES!   
> OH MY GOD THERE ARE SO MANY OF YOU VOTING NOW AND SO QUICKLY TOO GOD I LOVE YOU!  
> You guys got this chapter so early because you all placed so many votes so fast!!  
> *cough* anyways...  
> the winner:  
> Karkat: Wake up in another world

"You hit him over the head?" The scream was loud, cutting through Karkat's dream of riding a giant bee like a bolt of lightning. He groans and grabs his head, curling in upon himself.

"Well he didn't want to come willingly. What was I supposed to do?" The voices were coming from another room, this one echoed a bit as Karkat slowly opened his eyes to look around.

"Not hit him on the head! He better not be bleeding. If he gets blood on my antique bed spread it's your fins that will be hanging on my wall next." The first voice again, this one is female. Karkat sits up, he's lying on a huge bed, a burgundy blanket draped over it and mounds of matching pillows behind him. The walls are a delicate silver littered with framed documents and shelves full of various old looking items. Everything in the room looks well taken care of, but old, and well loved. 

He curses to himself as the light colored door pushes open and the owner of the female voice walks in. Her skin is a darker shade of gray, and her hair in a thick braid pulled over her left shoulder and falling down to waist level. Her horns curled in a circle at the sides of her head. Deep red eyes sparkled excitedly at him as a grin spreads across her brightly painted red lips. She's wearing a brown button-down shirt with a pair of capri jeans and a pair of work-worn boots. "Karkat! So glad to see the sins didn't kill you."

"Aradia, we both know the sins couldn't kill me." Karkat flips his legs over the side of the bed rubbing his temples. "Why am I here?"

Aradia walks across the room, stopping to pick up a small figurine of a goat and lovingly fawn over it. "Sollux has been ignoring me lately Karkat. He's canceled four of our dates in the past three months. And every time my adorable baby brother comes to visit me he tells me he's seen my sweet mate hovering around your apartment." 

"I don't want your mate Aradia."

"Liar." She sets the goat down gently and turns a glare to the ex-god sitting on her bed. "You may not say it aloud, or show it. But you want him Karkat Vantas. I am not stupid so don't treat me like I am."

Karkat sighs and glares up at her. "What the fuck do you want Aradia? I told you I won't take Sollux from you. I can't help it he keeps coming around. He'll get bored of it. I don't fucking know." He tunnels his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"I know you don't want to be a bother to me Karkat. You've always been a really cool guy! Which is why I've been keeping you alive. Well... yeah that and Sollux. I love Sollux, Karkat. And I don't want to share him. So let us make a deal." She leans against the old dresser across the room her smile still in place.

"A... deal?" Karkat gulped. The fact that Aradia never smiled, nor lost control of her emotions enough to have her eyes solidify in color always scared him.

"Yes! The revolution is coming again. We of the resistance are going to storm the castle and take over. Thanks to you giving your powers to Feferi. Good job!" She shoots double pistols and winks in his direction.

Karkat raises his eyebrow at the bubbly goddess. "Yeah, thanks I guess..."

She giggles excitedly and continues on. "You are going to join us in this fighting by using the shaman."

"Fuck no." Karkat stands up, hands balled into fists at his sides.

Her smile falters, and her eyes narrow, but she continues. "We will all fight together, peacefully like the good friends that we are. We are good friends, aren't we Karkat? If I die in the fighting, you will become a mortal again, but if you guys win. You will get your powers back. And Sollux. And if you die in the fighting then your name will be spread throughout the gods as a hero of our people, and I will get to keep my mate."

Karkat chews on his lip and looks down at his feet. "What if we both live?"

Aradia's smile returns full force, sparkling brightly. "Then we'll let him decide. It is his choice after all."

"Fuck." he begins pacing back and forth along the bed. Running his fingers through his hair and fisting them at the end, pulling on his messy black hair as he thinks. "Fuck okay. I'll do it."

Aradia grins excitedly and runs over grabbing him into a tight hug. "Hooray! Fighting together just like the old days!"

Karkat scowls and squirms out of her grip. "Those were just board games! This is serious fighting." He turns, his eyes solid and narrowed, determination written across his face. "And I'm gonna win."

Her grin spreads showing a mouth full of perfect teeth. "Let the games begin!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter?  
> Roxy: Get your awesome pink sunglasses back. You need those!!  
> Bro: See what all the racket is outside
> 
> Keep your votes up! I'm so excited!!


	24. One Hal-ova Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of my OTP's here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! A Few comments before I begin:   
> Updates may be a bit spastic for the next few weeks because I'm moving!!!!!  
> I was asked by a few people now about the 7 sins so:  
>  lust - Porrim - do we need a reason?  
>  pride - Kankri - still don't think a reason is needed  
>  wraith - Damara - yeah.... no reason needed  
>  gluttony - Horuss - because he's a glutton for Rufioh's love and attention!  
>  sloth - Rufioh - because he's being slothful (is that even a word?) on ending things with poor horuss  
>  envy - Aranea - her storytimes are full of envy for other people!  
>  greed - Cronus - he's greedy for the love he's been neglected by everyone
> 
> There ya go, my reasoning and such for the 7 sins.
> 
> Final note, I had one person on anon say they didn't like how I portrayed Aradia, that it was out of character. I would have answered this privately but sadly you were on guest so I couldn't. My portrayal of Aradia is already set in stone in my head throughout the whole story, but I don't think you'll be completely disappointed later on. I know its really hard to stay in character but I believe in this instance that it will go to your liking later.
> 
> OKAY! The winning vote:  
> Bro: see what all the racket is outside

Bro closes his book and sets it down on the table behind his head. He's draped over the couch in the Strider living room, his feet dangle over the edge of the plush leather couch in the cream colored room. He yawns and stretches listening to the loud thrum of music coming from the basement. A loud scream from outside the window causes him to jump, knocking his shades and hat askew. "What the plushloving fuck was that?" he scowls to himself rolling casually off the couch into a crouch.

A female voice calls from outside the window. "PLEASE GIVE THOSE BACK I CAN'T SEE YOU WITHOUT THEM!" Raising one of his brows Bro walks over to the door and out onto the porch. He blinks as he looks at the scene in the yard. Pounce the cat is crouched down, a playful glint in her eyes as she watches Dave fly around in the sky above her. Dave swoops this way and that snickering, dangling something pink just out of reach of a strange girl.

The girl stood, her cheeks puffed out in an angry pout. She has pale skin and blonde hair cut into a sharp bob, curled out on the ends with a pink streak going down the left side. She's wearing a pink dress over black leggings and matching pink fingerless gloves. Her boots are white, and she has a pair of pink headphones over her ears, decorated with large cat ears that twitched with Dave's laughter.

"Dave." Bro steps to the end of the porch pointing a glare up at his avian brother. "What did I tell you about being polite to females?"

Dave freezes turning unseen wide eyes to his brother on the porch. "Aw bro... I was just playing with her... Pounce started it!"

"Dave, give the girl back her item so she can leave."

"Aren't you the least bit curious as to how she can see me and pounce?" Dave crosses his arms in a stubborn pout angled at Bro.

"I CAN'T see you without those shades! So give them back!" the girl stomps her foot before jumping up in another failed attempt to grab her sunglasses from Dave. "Besides I'm here for a reason!"

Bro sighs dramatically and flash steps off the porch, using Pounce for a ramp he propels himself into the air and grabs a hold of Dave pinning him to the ground with a smirk as the orange boy squalks in surprise. The younger Strider squirms in an attempt to escape but only succeeds in getting Bro to apply more pressure to his pinned arms and wings. 

"Geez are all boys this annoying?" The girl walks over snatching up her sunglasses, slipping the pink triangle frames onto her face with a smile. The sunglasses flash in the light before she smiles and looks down at the two. "Hello. I'm Roxy! You must be Bro. I'm sorry about the trouble... I wasn't informed you had pets."

Dave's feathers fluff up and he starts squirming again. "I'm not a pet! I'm a person!"

Bro rolls his eyes and stands up, brushing himself off he turns to Roxy. "How do you know me, and why are you here?"

Roxy smiles brightly. "It's kinda a long story... Could I possibly go inside, I'm afraid I don't do too well in the sun, and I've been out all day so I'm starting to get weary."

Bro walks up to the porch and flops down on the railing, pointing his arm towards one of the beat up chairs in the shade in front of him. With a satisfied shrug Roxy follows him up and flops down in the chair. Dave floats over to lay on Pounce's head. The giant cat moving to lay by the porch next to Bro with a loud purr.

"Okay so... Hal told me to come here." Roxy starts, looking confidently up at Bro.

"Who's Hal?" Dave pipes in, scratching behind Pounce's giant left ear.

Roxy bites her lip and starts fiddling with the bottom of her skirt before looking back up, even more determined. "Hal is the NAME of Dirk Strider's robotic emotion simulation program."

"Auto Responder?" Dave blinks over at Roxy. "Since when has Auto Responder had a name... and talked to people on his own?"

"Hal is my boyfriend!" Roxy glares up at Dave before chewing on her lip. "And he's been kidnapped."

Bro blinks slowly. "Someone kidnapped the Auto Responder?"

Roxy sighs in frustration. "No. Someone Kidnapped Dirk and Hal was attached to him!"

Both Striders jerk to stare at Roxy before dashing through the door and down the hall to stop at the basement door. Bro grabs the handle jerking it open causing the loud music to get even louder as the two rush down the steps and into the room below. The basement was trashed. Pieces of robot lie all over the floor. Some of them leaking fluids others sparking. The main work table was flipped, tools scattered in front of it, the radio lay on it's side on the floor barely held up the straining cord.

"See..." Roxy peeks at the boys from halfway down the steps. "Me and Hal were talking when all of a sudden he got really quiet. Next thing I know he messages me and tells me to go find this guy named Jake English and tell him Dirk needs his help. But as soon as this Jake kid saw my cute sunglasses Hal designed for me he slammed the door in my face and said he wasn't ready to deal with Striders yet. So Hal told me to come here and get you."

"Why didn't Auto Responder tell us himself?" Dave turns off the radio and turns to stare at Roxy.

"He can't." Roxy sits down on the step with a sigh resting her head on her right hand. "He says that Dirk is chained up somewhere away from him. And he can't even move around the internet wherever he is. The only reason he can talk to me is that he never disconnected from our chat." 

Bro turns, his hands balled in fists at his sides. "Dave."

"Yeah?"

With easy steps Bro starts for the steps, moving around Roxy as he goes. "Get your weapons and Giant Cat. We're going to war. And whichever side took him is going to die."

Dave gulps and nods, watching Bro disappear down the hallway before looking down at Roxy. "Uh... sorry about earlier." He scratches the back of his head. "You should probably go home, we'll get Dirk and Auto Responder back soon."

Roxy snorts and stands up. "You aren't going anywhere without me Strider. I've got guns and I intend to use them. Got a Damsel in Distress to save. I always wanted to be prince charming."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! So I tricked you guys into voting for this again... but the story can't go on without it?  
> The next chapter?  
> Dolorosa: Prepare for war  
> Jake: Answer your door
> 
> I've had a few people comment with "i hope this is where we vote." Yes! You can vote in comments or you can message me on my tumblr, SuccubustyKisses.


	25. Not a Grubbing Joke!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where the author is highly distracted and has a lot of trouble writing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys! Happy Easter!   
> I'm still moving! I'm buying primer and paint for my room in my apartment tomorrow, I still have to sand, primer, and paint so it'll probably take me two weeks (with one week taking off at my second job so i can get it done and get moved in) to get it all done so until then updates will be a bit buzzy!
> 
> Until then! The winning chapter By TWO VOTES!  
> Dolorosa: Prepare for war

Dolorosa looks up from the map in front of her. Her study was littered with grublings, multiple colors curled up on the couch. One with a teal colored body and one of a lime green shade sit on the carpet chirping loudly with each other over a large piece of paper covered in scribbles with crayons scattered throughout the floor. A sky blue colored grub cackles from on top of a table as a violet grub with fins circles below chirping in a rhythm that sounds an awful lot like the theme of the human movie jaws. "Obviously I've let you guys watch too much human television my little ones." She smiles as her favorite bright red grub chirps grumpily at her from the corner of her desk.

"You really shouldn't sit in a room surrounded by young clones all the time. You might just start loosing your mind." Dolorosa looks to the door, a sad smile crossing her face as Aradia walks into the room scooping up a dark blue grub and scratching behind it's still emerging horns. 

"Aradia. I'm so glad you've come. I wanted to talk with you about the letter you sent me." Dolorosa sets her pen down turning her full attention to the troll seating herself on the couch next to the nap pile.

"Yes, I figured you would. You always have been overprotective of all of us recreations." 

Dolorosa sighs. "Are you sure about this? I have watched you all grow up from the moment you hatched from your eggs. You two were very, very close and I know how hard you've been working these past twelve years." 

Aradia looks up from the grub in her lap. A bright smile plastered on her face. "Of course I'm sure! We used to play games together all the time when we were young. I just want one more game before it all ends." 

"War isn't a game. You could die. You could loose your mate. You could loose him." Dolorosa pets the red grub lightly, it chirps angrily and scoots away to the edge of the desk, hissing. 

Burgundy eyes waver, bleeding in veins of color across the white of her eyes as Aradia's smile brightens. "I want to watch this world crumble."

Dolorosa lets out a frustrated moan, pushing herself into standing and walking over to stand in front of the young goddess. "Aradia. I appreciate you joining me in this battle. I appreciate you bringing in some very much needed powers. But war is not a game."

Aradia's grin smooths out into a confident smirk as her eyes return to normal. She sets the grub down on the couch and stands up causing Dolorosa to step back or collide with her. "You can make anything a game, Mother Grub, as long as you have friends you love there to play them with you." She steps to the side and walks to the door. "I haven't gotten to play any good games in a long time without my team mate to play beside me. I think it's time I had some fun again." 

Dolorosa watches as Aradia disappears from the room, rubbing her forehead with a sad smile. "Just be careful."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, that chapter was kinda lame right? It's hard to write with my family and dog driving me nuts the whole time. This tiny bit of crap literally took me an hour and a half to write!
> 
> Okay so next chapter?  
> Jack: Report your progress  
> Dave: Be a crafty bird


	26. Through thick and thin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author has a moment to write between her busy schedule! And wonders if you guys notice she tries to title every chapter with horrid puns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Random in the middle of moving update time!  
> So my new apartment has a LOT of work that has to be done on it but I'm getting it done! When I'm finished maybe I'll post a picture of the awesome paint job for ya'll to see!!
> 
> So the winning chapter by like 20 votes:  
> Dave: Be a Crafty Bird!

Dave lets out a quiet coo as he peeks around the corner, muffled voices filling the silence around him as a grin spreads across his face. "Shit man. We're doing this."

Pounce leans down, tail twitching behind her as she watches Dave sidle in an over-dramatic movie spy fashion across the giant wrap around porch of the house he brought her to. Dave waves for her to stay put and she lays down across the giant lawn, careful not to squish any of the flowers decorating the area. 

The orange head disappears through the wall and peeks around before popping back out. "Okay Pounce, you know what to do." Pounce nods and Dave goes through the wall inside the house. The inside of the house is cluttered with random things, some piles going up to the high ceilings. Each room had a different variety of random things giving it all a bit of order. One room had action figures and comic books. One was filled with all things squid. Dave continues to faze through rooms, one had a giant sculpture of a worm-like creature curled up in it causing him to stop and raise a soft brow before continuing on. 

He floats past a room that is filled to the point that you can't even see the walls with different guns and towards the front door. The Muffled voice getting louder as he draws closer. "Please." A female voice he knows is Roxy calls out. "I know you're in there. I seen you peek through the damn window! I have to talk to you!"

Dave stops in the hall in front of the door. Looking down at the curled up ball of a form that is Jake English, back pressed against the front door, head stuck between his knees. His head shakes back and forth muttering over and over. "Please go away, please go away. Please go away. Please.... please just go away. Leave me alone. Please go away."

"Dude." Jake jumps jerking his head up and pointing an old gun up at Dave, his hands shaking and eyes wide behind his glasses. "Calm down Jake. We just want to talk."

"Dave?" Jake slowly stands up, arm falling to his side as he rubs his eye with his free hand and blinks up at the floating form in front of him.

"Come on! I'm not leaving this porch until you answer this door Mr. English!" Roxy calls through the door. Dave grins and goes through the door, his rear end staying inside and his front out. 

"It's okay Roxy. I got this." Roxy shakes her head and puts her hand on Dave's forehead, shoving him back through the door.

"Dave you went through my door... literally. Are you... a ghost? Am I being haunted? Oh god are you haunting me for ignoring Dirk?" Jake starts pacing the hallway hand running through his hair, gun still in his other hand as he rambles on talking to himself.

Dave sighs and unlocks the door letting Roxy in as he watches Jake start to hit his head on the frame to one of the many doors. Muttering to himself of his stupidity over an over again. 

"Maybe you should tell him you're not dead?" Roxy flinches slightly every time Jake's head connects with the solid wood of the doorway.

"But I'm enjoying the show." Roxy punches Dave in the arm causing him to squalk. "Fine Fine I'm going! Jake... Jake.... JAKE STOP BASHING WHAT LITTLE BRAINS YOU HAVE LEFT AND LOOK AT ME!"

Jake turns blinking at the floating orange figure. Feathers ruffle and poof up in agitation. He slowly smooths his feathers down before turning his shaded gaze up to glare at Jake. "I am not Dead Jake. I'm a Strider, we don't die that easy. But we do stupid things sometimes. We tend to be pompous ass holes and chase people away. But Jake. We don't want to chase you away." Clawed fingers scratch at feathers at the nape of his neck as he sighs. "Jake I know we can be selfish and seem uncaring but dude. Dirk loves you. Hell you made him the god of love. You can't get much more love than that... And now he NEEDS you!"

Jake chews on his lower lip. "I tried to call him."

"What?" 

"I tried to call Dirk. The day you came to visit. The day... you went into a coma. I tried to call him, he didn't answer. Then they found you bleeding to death in John's house and... I thought he didn't want to talk to me anymore." 

Dave turns to look at Roxy. "Dude, how long have you been trying to get AR back?"

Roxy blinks and taps her cheek in thought. "Well, I'm actually from across the country. So I had to go the airport, Take a flight. They didn't have any directly here so I had to have layovers. TWICE. It cost a fortune I might add... The airports had some great bars though. This one had 20 different kinds of Rum alone! And he mixed the best long island iced-"

"Roxy! The point!" Dave's feathers ruffle up as he scowls down at the girl in pink.

"Oh right. Lets see... It's been about a month since Dirk and Hal were kidnapped."

A loud thump causes Dave and Roxy to jump turning to stare at Jake. "Kidnapped?" His gun lay forgotten on the floor beside him as green eyes widen. "Who could kidnap Dirk? He'd just slice anyone who tried in half. He... he was kidnapped?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Roxy sighs dramatically rolling her bright pink eyes. "A bunch of trolls popped into his house... Literally, and kidnapped him. And for some stupid reason Hal insists that I bring you in the rescue mission to save him."

"Hal thinks if you go in to the other world, gold guns blazing and rescue him and Dirk that you two will remember whatever it is you got between you and be happy again." Roxy supplies, tapping her pink shades. Light reflecting off of them to show the red text filling the other side.

"Who's Hal?"

Dave shakes his head. "Hal is Dirk's Auto Responder. He apparently named himself and got a girlfriend."

"An awesome girlfriend." Roxy supplies with a grin.

"An.... awesome girlfriend. Which is good because she's the only way we're able to keep in touch with Dirk and AR." Dave floats over picking up the old gun off the floor. "So... are you coming with us to save him? Cuz if you are might I suggest you use the guns he gave you and not this shoddy old thing. It looks like it could explode in your face at any moment."

"Yes... Right. Of course, just give me a moment to get them and I'll meet you outside."

Dave and Roxy nod, stepping back outside into the sunlight. Pounce watches them with bright wide eyes. "Hey Dave. Should I bring anything other than my.... there is a giant cat in my yard."

"Yeah... Weird stuff happens when you date a Strider. You should know that by now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done! Thanks for putting up with me through this slow hiatus my loves! You are all awesome! Just a reminder I have no idea how to portray the awesomeness that is Jake English, so I have just GIVEN UP on trying. So Sorry he's not... proper Jake. I'm a failure!
> 
> The next chapter?  
> Strider group: Go to the other world  
> Karkat: watch all the gods gather


	27. Observing the Crowd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which there are a fuck-ton of characters in one chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI Guys!! I'm drawing ever closer to completing my moving *this should NOT take this long!* I finally finished sanding and wiped down the walls! I'm putting up primer tomorrow and then ON TO THE PAINT! 
> 
> But as I have a break today due to my friends doing finishing touches for the meet-up on the 20th (If any of you work around Cincinnati I'm going to sk8stuck at The Skatin' Place on 4/20 it's from 3-7. I'll be the Sis Strider with the baby Dave come say hi!)
> 
> The winning chapter (by the flip-flop votes who wanted both options but had to choose):  
> Karkat: watch the gods gather

Karkat sits on a railing of a giant balcony overlooking a huge almost ballroom like gathering. There is already a huge cluster of gods on the sparkling white floor below him. Varying styles of horns, hair, and clothing scattered throughout the brightly lit golden room grouped together in high-school like clusters. 

Aradia left him as soon as they walked in the door running off to talk with her friends in the crowd. He notices Latula and her group of 'cool' weaving their way through the crowd, her fingers interwoven with her long-time mate's as she led him around a group of older gods and towards her goal. A flurry of trolls following behind the couple and spreading out around when they reach their goal. 

They stopped by Meenah, no surprise to Karkat that they were heading for her. She stood in the corner by herself, one bare foot propped up against the wall she was leaning on twin braids touching the floor in her slouched position as she picked a the inside of her coral painted nails with a pink pocket knife. Her horns go up at a slight curve making her total hight over a foot taller. She's wearing a black shirt that's unevenly cut over her belly and a pair of black shorts lined with spikes. Her fin-like eats twitch as her friends approach and she smirks in greeting folding up her knife to shove it in her pocket and turn a fang-filled smile at them. The gills on her neck and sides open and close giving away her actual excitement. 

Karkat turns his attention as Tavros walks in, a mechanical hum filtering through the chatter with every step he takes until he stops with a childish grin to scoop his sister up into his arms and spin her around. Aradia's giggles cause heads to turn and watch as the two circle a few times before he sets her back down with a chuckle. 

Gamzee pulls himself through the crowd to meet up with Tavros. The god of confusion sulking behind him as he stomps along shooting glares to every god he passes in the crowd. Because of his unique appearance many people turn to stare at the green figure causing his frustration to grow even further until the rage in his eyes is visible even from Karkat's perch high above. 

Another green figure laughs from the corner. White hair cut to her chin and horns spiraling up above her head as her green eyes sparkle with laughter. A red bow graces her hair next to her right horn matching the large one tied around her neck. She's wearing a bright green suit dress that matches the swirls gracing the darker green of her defined cheekbones. The goddess of patience looked more alive than her confused counterpart and genetic parent. 

Feferi bounces with excitement with whatever story she's telling the white haired goddess showing no signs of worry for the war they were gathering to fight. Eridan stands beside her, gun propped on his sholder glaring out at the people around him. Fins twitching with the sounds around him as his eyes dart side to side in search of any threat.

Dolorosa and Disciple stand at an uprising with a group of older gods. One stands with a mess of untamed hair behind her, horns going up with one splitting and the other bending. Her sharp fangs peek out from her painted blue lips as she taps at her cheek with matching nails. Her long black coat grazes the floor, blue detailing weaving through her coat in intricate patterns as she smirks and wags her eyebrows at the goddess across from her.

The goddess receiving the suggestive look has curly hair falling to her shoulder blades with streaks of red through it. Her horns go up at her crown in simple skinny cones jutting out from her curls. She's wearing long oval glasses with bright red lenses and a red and teal pants-suit tucked in to red boots. She swings a staff out at the goddess across from her, it's dragon-shaped head clutched tightly in her hands as the goddess catches the end with a cackle. 

Another goddess shoves her way through the crowd smacking a matching staff into the ankles of multiple gods and goddesses as she passes. Her horns are the same cones, but are smaller and peek cutely out of her over-product styled bob. She has similar red lenses and wears a suit identical to the goddess arguing on the stage. Her grin splits across her face as she laughs at the gods yelling in her wake as she moves to the front of the crowd angling her face to stare at the older gods in front.

The sins cluster in a corner. Kankri preaching on about something while the other six pretend to listen while still doing their own things. Porrim sends a wink across the room to Meenah who flushes pink and flicks her off in return. Arania, a goddess with short baby doll curls in a lolita-style spiderweb blue dress with matching boots and gloves and horns that go up in a mismatch of a u at the top of one and bending down at the other, gives the two a disapproving look before turning her attention back to Kankri. Horuss and Rufioh huddle together against the wall hand and hand. Damara shoots a look of anger that could wilt flowers at the couple from behind the preaching god of pride. Cronus, a god with slicked back black hair and zigzag horns matching a scar on his forehead, wearing a leather jacket over a white shirt and black skinny jeans. He's smocking a cigarette and standing with a look of annoyed guilt as he scratches the side of his head being the main target for Kankri's current rant.

"You're the last group! Better late then never I suppose!" The voice comes from behind Karkat causing him to turn to look at the opening doors behind him. Large horns come through followed by a flurry of excited wings as Summoner enters the room. A large group behind him. Kanaya comes in first, arm wrapped around Rose's waist as she excitedly rushes her forward to greet the apathetic ex-god. 

Ignoring Kanaya's smug exclamations of him actually joining them in battle Karkat continues to watch as a human girl in bright pink glasses teeters practically buzzes with excitement rushing through the door to look over the balcony at the gathering below. An older god comes through next, a human hat covering his horns as he walks past and down the steps after Summoner. Following him in is the orange bird Dave. "The fuck you doing here bird boy?"

Dave turns a smirk to the short god, feathers ruffling in a wave along his neck and wings. "You're just mad I look better than you no matter what happens to me. Come on Pounce, lets go scare the crowd." The bird-Dave floats down the steps a giant white cat squeezing through the doors and following after him, a body dangling out of one of the cat's two mouths. Karkat blinks at the passing cat before turning his attention to the door. Stopping when his red eyes greet mismatched solid ones.

Sollux steps forward reaching out to graze his fingers along Karkat's jaw. "What are you doing here?"

"Watching a bunch of idiots cluster for their deaths." Karkat fights the urge to press his face into the warm hand on his cheek. The two stare into each other's eyes for what seems like hours before something breaks their focus.

"Karkat?"

Karkat blinks shifting his vision around his ex mate to the voice behind him. "John!?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! A bunch of trolls in a big ol' room! Shits gonna happen soon!  
> Next chapter?  
> Condesce: Play with your new toy  
> John: greet your (apparently god) friend!


	28. Unwanted Interruptions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter before the war!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys! Updates should start happening on a more normal schedule again soon! Also I started a line of one-shots connected to this world so you should pop over and check them out! 
> 
> The winning chapter? (and this was a CLOSE one it flipped flop through the whole time!)  
> John: greet your (apparently god) friend!

"Karkat!? You're a god?" John stares with wide blue eyes at his friend. 

"John what the fuck are you doing here? This is not the place for you and.... you can see... me? like.... the real me?" Red eyes widen and Karkat chews on the corner of his lower lip.

John blushes and scratches the back of his head for a moment. "Yeah Bro ki... he helped me see you guys... Hey. Aren't you the guy from the restaurant?"

Sollux' eyes, solid in color turn a violent glare to the human standing in the doorway. "Yeth I am the guy from the retharuanth. What buthineth do you have being here? You're jutht in the way. Thupid human. Go home."

John's smile faulters and he nervously starts fidgeting with his fingers. "Well... I'm here for revenge. They killed my parents. So I'm going to help destroy them!" He pulls a giant hammer up and balances it on his shoulder like it weighs nothing, as if to emphasise his point.

"Not to interrupt your showing off your big hammer and everything John, but could you possibly get out of the doorway?" A female voice chimes through from behind the boy. John jumps stepping out of the way to let Jake and two dark haired girls through. One has long hair brought back into a thick braid running down to her waist. Her eyes shine a bright green behind coke-bottle glasses and she's wearing a green sweater and black pants tucked into boots. There are at least five guns strapped to her and more ammunition than Karkat has seen since hatching.

The other has short hair held back with a red band, her eyes a pale blue fill with laughter behind her oval glasses. She's wearing a red sweatshirt with the hood pulled down and jean capris with blue converse-style shoes. She has a... is that a giant spoon and fork tied to her back? Karkat raises a brow as they disappear down the steps, laughter following them.

"Thith ith the thupideth thing I have ever theen. Thethe humanth are jutht lining up to die." Karkat and John both turn to stare at Sollux as he glares at the gathering below him. "Motht of uth are going to die you know... Kk... Karkat I thi-"

"I think it's time we get started." Dolorosa's voice fills the room causing a rainbow of eyes to turn to the small uprising The three elder women are standing on. Sollux curses and stomps off down the steps leaving Karkat and John to stare after him in confusion. 

Dolorosa smiles at the gathering in front of her. "We are strong, more than strong. We are GODS! And together we can do ANYTHING! We can free our friends and family who have been kept prisoner for so long. We can free OURSELVES from the tyranny of the current rule. Together we can win! For life! For Love! For JUSTICE!"

A female voice rings out from the crowd "I KNEW YOU WERE DOING IT FOR ME!" A few chuckles, but mostly loud groans follow as everyone turns to stare at the young goddess with the red sunglasses wearing the red and teal suit matching the older one on the stage.

John snickers. "Who's that? I like her."

Karkat grins flashing fangs. "That's Terezi. She's the goddess of Justice, and one of my friends from before I lost my powers."

Dolorosa begins talking again but the two channel them out and keep on their own conversation. "You lost your powers? How does that happen?"

Karkat sighs running his hands through his hair. "Twelve years ago I was sent by the queen to kill and collect the souls of three gods who went rogue and were planning a revolt against the queen... or so I was told. When I got there... They weren't trying to do anything to the queen. They were just two gods in love and their fucking grub."

"Grub?" John tilts his head in confusion.

Karkat sighs. "Grub... baby... child! Some of us gods... we're not made in the normal... fashion of love... We're created genetically by the queen using the powers of the God of Re-Creation. He's being kept prisoner in her palace after he saved the goddess of luck."

"Vriska?"

"Yeah. He had the hots for her something fierce. When she started trying to kill herself, he did what he could to get her to stop... He promis-"

"He promised to bring her mate back to life! I heard this story! The cat girl down there told it to me!" John points to the stage before back to himself. "That's me! I'm that mate apparently."

Karkat's eyes widen and his jaw drops. "YOU'RE the god of flight?"

John shrugs. "I don't remember anything from that life. But that's what they keep telling me. So your story! It was a couple and their kid?"

Karkat bites his lip. "Yes. The god of love, the goddess of hiding. And their pure born child, still in the pupa state of a human. I killed the parents, and turned to kill the child. But he... his eyes were red, and so full of fear and confusion. He didn't know who I was, or what I was doing. This child didn't know anything about gods. He was just a normal little wiggler trying to live his life, and he just watched me KILL his parents. So I... saved him. The queen was pissed. She stripped me of my powers and sent me to earth to live as a human until I die a boring mortal death."

"Do you regret it? Saving him?"

Karkat looks down at Dave, a bright orange spot sitting on the back of a giant white cat in the middle of the crowd. "No. He grew up to be a total asshole. But... I think he'll make a diff-"

"CORRIN!?" A high pitched screech cuts through Dolorosa's speech causing everyone to turn their heads. A god drags himself into the room, the goddess with the multi-stemmed horns Karkat seen walking down the street the night he went to the underworld goes running through the crowd catching the god as he falls. 

His hair is in a state of disarray weaving around his needle thin diagonal horns. He's wearing a red and black sweater with Diamond pattern on it, red blood runs down from his chest dripping onto the floor. His eyes are solid red behind small rectangle cracked glasses as he trips again nearly dragging the goddess helping him down to the floor. "Corrin? What happened?"

Dolorosa runs down to meet the two kneeling down to the god and setting him gently on the floor, she moves to look at the wound on his chest. "God of Misery, you must tell me what happened to you. This wound does not look to be rotting your flesh like the touch of the Condesce's death."

The god coughs blood splattering the floor and dripping from his mouth. "New... weapons. They... I was doing my job. Making sure the queen's new pet was truly miserable. He's strong, not showing any sign of depression no matter what she throws at him." another bout of coughing before he continues. "She was mad. Then the god of corruption came in. He looked so pleased with himself as he bowed and told her, his experiments were a success. He'd corrupted the power."

"What power?" Dolorosa shakes the god on the floor.

He groans, his eyes glossing over, but continues. "She said she wished to see it. Before I could think to react... He shoved his knife through my chest. It burned. He... he corrupted the power of death. It's... in their weapons now. They can all-" He's once again cut off by a fit of coughing his breathing becomes labored wheezing and his eyes go wide, then slowly shut.

"CORRIN!?" the goddess with the stemmed horns grabs a hold of the fallen god, shaking him, blue tears stream down her face as she clings to his bloody covered chest. She presses her face into his chest and sobs. "Corrin! You can't be..."

"Dead..." Dolorosa stands up slowly hands bunching in fists as she looks down at blood splattered face of the god of misery. "He's dead. They've created weapons that can kill us... We must go about this differently. Give us a moment to decide our path. This ends tonight." Dolorosa turns and with a flurry of fabric storms up to her two friends on the upraised area leaving the goddess to sob over her lost friend. "I won't let any more loved ones die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it!? So this is your guys last chance! If you want your very own fan troll to die in Red Eyed Reaper pop me his or her description (hair, blood color stuff like that) along with your vote! We're getting to the serious shit now!
> 
> Also I discovered a mistake I made with the last chapter, and that's fixed! 
> 
> The next chapter?  
> Follow Dave's team  
> Follow Redglare's team


	29. Orgasms of Gligger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which the author is really excited okay!?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!!! So If You wanna see the progress of my awesome dark carnival theme bedroom go to my tumblr (succubustykisses) 
> 
> and in the search bar type in panda's room progress
> 
>  
> 
> The winning chapter?  
> Follow Dave's Team!

The giant palace is pink. Like a legit bright fuchsia pink. And covered in glittery accessories. It's like a fucking barbie castle. Dave peeks his orange head through another door. Peeking both ways on the hallway he comes to before nodding to himself and pulling the rest of his body through, shaking the glitter off his feathers he turns and opens the door for the giant grinning cat face on the side he just came from, a limp body still dangling from the lower of it's two mouths.

"I know I say this at every door but I wish you'd left my body at home. I mean yea sure it's good to add to the creeper factor that you're carrying me around like some sort of beloved puppet. Going everywhere with you because you just can't bear to have me away from you. Your one and only B.F.F. but I gotta tell ya that position is already filled. I have John. So just... Don't hurt me or something..."

The cat shoves past him, un-hearing ears twitching as it sniffs down the hall towards the left. Dave sighs dramatically and flies up narrowly avoiding being smacked by a giant twitching tail as she comes to a halt. With a confused tilt of his head Dave moves above the cat to look in front of it. "Pounce? Dude there's nothing there." No response, obviously. With a shake of his head Dave moves in front of the cat and looks up at her. "Pounce! What gives? Why'd we stop? We gotta get moving to see if there are any ambushes waiting for the group."

The giant triangle of Pounce's nose twitches. "What? Do you smell something? Well other than that horrid stench that seems to seep off this place. It's like a preteen designed it I mean are you serious? This is rediculous! I'm gonna be blinded by all the glitter." Dave turns and peeks his head through the nearest wall, seeing only another pink room filled with giant plush pink furniture. He cringes and moves on down the hall to peek through another door. This room is surprisingly NOT pink. The walls are a vibrant purple and the furniture a deep reddened wood. A giant bed rests beside a window, shielded with transparent leafy green curtains. A figure lay upon the bedspread, the only movement seen through the curtains is a slight rise and fall of it's chest.

Dave glances about the room one more time before shrugging and going through the wall again. He goes to down the hallway and makes a sharp left, peeking through more rooms filled with nothing but pink and glitter. After the third turn in the hallway and about twelve more doors he groans carding his hands through his hair in frustration. "How fucking big is this place!? There is definitely an ambush somewhere because I can't find ANYONE except that chick sleeping forever ago. Do you smell anyone else yet Pounce?" He turns to address his companion blinking in surprise when he comes to an empty hallway. "Pounce? Dude! Did you just run off with my body? What the hell man!"

A quick breeze whizzes past Dave's wing, sending a shooting pain up and through his spine. He squawks in pain and jerks to the side as a loud thunk echoes through the hall. Wide eyes stare at the arrow embedded into the wall in front of him. He jerks around just in time to narrowly miss another arrow to the back of his skull. The dark blue of it's feathered tip brushing against his cheek before it joins it's partner in the wall behind him.

"You move too much bird boy." A deep voice echoes through the walls as another arrow shoots towards him. Ducking before the sharp tip lobotomizes him he looks around for something to use as a shield in the long empty hallway. "I'll just have to clip your wings." A chuckle follows as multiple projectile weapons jet through the air en route to his death. He peeps and dives through the door to his left a loud caw revertibrating through the empty room as pain shoots through his back and he jerks back knocking his head into the solid door sending flashes of light and sparks through his vision. 

He grabs the back of his head and jerks at his wings sending a new wave of pain coursing through his body. Laughter echoes through the hall behind him as loud steps come closer. "Whats the matter little bird? Did I put you on too short of a leash?"

Hot fingers wrap around the thick bones in his wing, squeezing. Dave caws and jerks a burning pain absorbing through his flesh as he flattens his palms on the door and pushes himself forward. Trails of red run down the orange of his cheeks as pops and cracks fill the room. The hand on the other Side pulls harder as he propels forward his body going deliciously numb as his face scrapes across the floor. He turns to the crimson splattered door with wide eyes as he watches the doorknob turn. The squeak of the hinges thrumming through his skull as the door pushes slightly open. 

"You forgot something." The deep voice laughs as a mass of orange and red cascades to the floor with a sickly liquid thunk, feathers floating into the air around it. A large hand wraps around the door, calloused fingers slowly pushing the door forward. "Allow me to return it to you properly."

A Bright light headed feeling envelopes Dave's brain as he follows the hand up an arm that had to be bigger around than is arm. He gulps as a slight pull starts at his chest. He tries to inhale through belligerent lungs. The pull gets stronger. Bright lights fill his vision, splattering the view of his attacker.

Dave gasps sitting up. Suddenly surrounded by darkness. A fit of coughing wracks his body and a cold hand pats him lightly on the back. He freezes. The coughing subsided and looks down at soft human hands. "Sonova Bitch!" His red eyes widen with excitement as he flips his hands around. Jerking forward he places his feet on the floor and pushes around the green curtains to stand. His legs shake and wobble and he tumbles forward into a cold embrace.

"Careful!" The too loud singsong voice purrs in his ear. "Your body has been out of commission for a long time. It's going to take a minute before you can adjust and move properly again!" The cold hands carefully place him back on the bed and press against his forehead. 

Dave blinks red eyes up at the girl. She's shorter with a long mane of wavy black hair. The grey of her skin is light, almost passable as a human skin color and her green eyes sparkle with mischief. Her horns peek out of her hair in a wide triangle similar to that of many animal's ears. She's wearing nothing but an over-sized green sweater with a white cat on it. She wave excitedly. "Pounce?"

"Hello Dave! It's good to finally get to talk to you! I'm Meulin!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *squeals at finally bringing Meulin in* I've seriously been waiting for this day since I first introduced fluff the cat, properly known as Pounce! 
> 
> *clears throat* Anyways! There is still time to turn in your fantroll if you want me to kill it! Just leave me a description with your vote!
> 
> The next chapter?  
> Follow Terezi's Team  
> Follow Vriska's Team


	30. Strong Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have you honestly paid attention to these things at all? Cuz I kinda just bullshit em.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The winning chapter?  
> By 3 votes!  
> Follow Vriska!

An amused grin spreads across unpainted black lips as Vriska kneels down to poke at the body in front of her. Long wavy hair pooled unceremoniously around her head and horns which go straight up and curve in a tight coil at the ends. A blue ribbon lay forgotten on the floor a few feet away. Navy blood dribbles out of her forehead where a single die sit imbedded into her skull, glowing a faint red.

"Who knew it would actually work to put the power of death in our weapons." Vriska chuckles to herself reaching out to grip her Die and yank it out with a sickening sound, blood splattering around wide opened solid Navy eyes of the body. 

"Vriska, we're supposed to be searching for the safest route not playing with dead gods." Bright blue eyes turn an unamused glare to the other god on her team.

A dramatic sigh escapes her lips before she rolls her eyes. "Of all the gods I don't understand why they had to pair me with you Equius. You're no fun." 

Equius looks to the side rubbing at his neck with a towel before stuffing it back in his pocket. "It's because you need me to bend the bars of the cells."

"Yeah yeah yeaaaaaaaah. I knoooooooow! We're the big bad rescue team here to save all your prisoners from haaaaaaaarm." Sarcasm laces her voice as she pockets her Die and shoves the body over to divest it of it's leather coat. "That doesn't mean I can't have a little fun while I do it." 

Equius watches her put the coat on and angle this way and that to see how it looks. "I just think it's best we get this over with quickly before others come."

"What are you skaaaaaaaared?" She snorts grinning again before ripping a belt off the body and putting it on. "I'm just getting some essentials! Who know when we're going to need more weapons?" She leans down picking up two golden short swords and shoving them through the loops attached to the belt.

Equius pulls his towel out and rubs the sweat away from the side of his face and clears his throat. "You're right. But what about the coat? It's not useful at all."

Vriska laughs and turns to start walking down the hall. She reaches in her pocket and pulls out 8 dice before stopping at the end of the hall and throwing them to see which direction they say is the luckiest. "Fashion is always useful Equius. Don't you know anything about women?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! The battle chapters are going to be mostly super short so advanced warning!  
> Also I have decided to take fantrolls up until I tell you otherwise so if you still want a character in the story feel free to pop me a description with your vote and I'll be happy to kill them!  
> Today's fantroll is Urania Notaia by AO3 user sylphofbreath. Thank you!!
> 
> Next chapter?  
> Follow John's Team  
> Follow Gamzee's Team


	31. Dapper Devices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I honestly couldn't think of a witty title for this one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!! Sorry the updates are still taking so long! I've been SUPER busy! I hosted my very first homestuck meetup last weekend! I went as Porrim! It was a LOT of fun!!!
> 
> Anyways! The winning chapter BY ONE VOTE THAT I JUST GOT EARLIER TODAY!  
> Follow John's Team!!!!!!!!!

John ducks down using his momentum to spin his body around and aim for the knees of his attacker. The god easily dodges the attack grinning a mouth full of fangs just out of John's reach as he tips his top hat before settling it back on his head between horns that curve around his skull. He adjusts the tie of his suit casually as he steps back avoiding the attack of the goddess they put on a team with John.

A glint in the light draws John's wide blue eyes up as he watches the curved blade of their attacker slice through the air and connect with his partner's back with a sickening liquid thunk. Aqua blood spraying out to splatter the floor and the grinning god's suit as he pulls his blade back out and watches the goddess fall to the floor. 

John scurries over shoving short messy hair aside to see wide open solid eyes glistening with unshed tears behind violet tinted lenses. Her eyes flutter shut and her body grows limp in his arms. Chewing on his lip John sets his star horned partner down on he ground and swallows the bile rising in his throat.

Hot breath fills the air around his right ear, moving his hair to tickle the side of his face as a smug voice drifts through the air. "You shouldn't get so attached to people in war." The smooth voice cackles as John swings around stumbling forward as his fist connects with nothing. "You might just join them in death." 

John scrambles forward wrapping his fingers around his hammer. Freezing up when he feels warmth dripping onto his back. His eyes widen and he looks down. Light purple splatters around him, dripping down on the floor from his shirt. He flips over gripping his hammer to his chest. His jaw drops as he watches the headless body of his attacker topple to the floor in front of him. purple splattering the once pristine white shirt of the strider standing in front of him.

"Shit Kid. I knew I shouldn't have brought you. You can't get distracted you almost got yourself killed." Bro steps over the body and kneels down in the growing puddle of light purple stretching his blood soaked hand out to brush hair out of the young boy's face. "You okay kid?"

"Bro? What are you.... where's your team?" 

The oldest Strider snorts smirking. "I don't need a team, it'll only slow me down. I was more worried about keeping you safe Kid."

John pushes himself up and stares at Bro, blinking at the blossom of red forming on the back of his shirt. He blinks and rubs his eyes before settling them on it again. "Um... Bro?"

"Sup kid? You're sure full of questions today." 

"Did you kill someone with red blood before coming here?"

The smirk falls off the older man's face as he stands up to stare through his shades down at him. "Nah kid. Just got myself a souvenir from the war." John's eyes widen as they move down to settle on the silver hilt sticking out of Bro's side.

He leans over gently pressing his fingers against the side of the wound, watching the slight flinch as strong fingers wrap around his shoulder to shove him back. "Don't worry about it kid. Lets get going."

As he follows the broad back of the older strider through the hallways John reaches into his pocket, pulling the small silver device out he presses the blue button in the center of it. With a light chirp it begins blinking. His eyes never leaving the slowly growing spot on the other's back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BAM! Two trolls killed in this chapter! The lovely Aqua female is named Ambree Norths and she is owned by Pachimew from fanfiction.net! The quick and dapper gentleman in the suit is Jamees Legemi and his owner is Ticker!
> 
> Thank you for the use of your fantrolls! If you still want me to kill off your creations please pop me a description with your vote!!
> 
> The next chapter?  
> Follow Aradia's Team  
> Follow Tavros' Team


	32. Burning Rainbows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I imagine rainbows could be very painful if they wanted to be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm planning another meetup cuz I'm insane! But I'm not putting you guys off so close to completion!! 
> 
> The winning chapter!?  
> Follow Aradia's Team!

A static echo vibrates through her ear as Aradia kneels over the body in front of her grinning as she pushes him over onto his back. Teal blood splashing on the knees of her red pants. She brushes the teal tipped hair out of his face before pressing the button on the device in her ear "Another deceased in the western area. A teal blood, one horn going up and the other curving down."

A voice echoes through her ear. "Enemy death reported. Thank you Aradia."

Grin still spread wide across her face Aradia pushes herself up brushing the dust from her legs smearing blood along her already multi-splatered pants as she steps over the body towards the next hallway.

A small vibration shakes away her weariness and she quickly reaches into her pocket pulling out a small remote, red light blinking up at her. "Karkat..." she stuffs the vibrating remote back in her pocket and runs forward, the vibrations lessening the closer she gets to her destination. Dashing past fights and jumping over bodies she turns a few corners and comes to a skidding stop in a wide opened corridor.

The vibrations stop in her pocket and she stares wide eyed at the goddess in front of her. Black dress flowing around her with untamed power, locks of black hair coming out of the bun at the back of her head to whip around large curled horns as she steps across the room towards the hunched over form of Karkat, the shape of his body imprinted in the wall behind him, a smear of red running down the wall towards him. 

Aradia looks around wildly her eyes settling on the crumpled form in purple across the room in front of a bookshelf, covered in fallen books, steam rising up from her reddened body. A loud squeak of pain jerks her head back to the right where she watches Karkat, surrounded in the rainbow glow of power dragging him up the wall, body twitching in an attempt to free himself.

The attacking goddess laughs, stopping her strides a few feet away from the powerless god. Unknown words tumbling from her lips as she grins raising one of two long pointed wands up to point at Karkat's chest. She laughs again as a rainbow glow begins to center at the tip of her wand. "You will regret coming back." She purrs in a thick accent.

Aradia rushes forward wrapping her hands around the glowing wand yanking the goddess off kilter the gathered power shooting across the room to leave a burning hole in the glittering wall. The goddess turns flashing rainbow eyes to her attacker, spitting angry words in Aradia's face as she tugs her arm back. 

"A... Aradia?" Karkat's voice is quiet, raspy and broken.

Aradia shifts solid eyes to look at Karkat, holding his neck on the floor as he stares with wide red eyes up at her. "Get your shaman and get out of here Karkat."

Karkat nods, pushing himself up slowly, he stumbles across the room to the fallen form of Rose. Aradia turns her focus back to the attacking goddess, power flaring against her skin leaving burns as more angry words fly out of her mouth. Taking a slow deep breath Aradia crouches down, bracing herself in preparation for whatever the goddess is about to do. A wand raises pointing at Aradia, power circling around it. A confident smirk spreads across both their mouths as they stare each other down.

The goddess jerks her hand pointing the wand at Karkat's back as he slowly drags the barely conscious Rose towards the exit. Aradia reacts dashing to the side to jump in front of the stream of rainbow energy. The smell of burnt flesh filling her nostrils as heat surrounds her, burning through her skin and clothes. She bites down on her lip refusing to breath as she watches the goddess laugh, a multitude of color swarming her system as more power licks across her skin.

The stream of power stops so suddenly Aradia falls to her knees from the shock. Wide eyes jerking up to look at the goddess. Something golden protruding through her chest, the goddess reaches down, touching the three prongs sticking out from her ribs before falling forward.

Aradia pants her head spinning as she turns it to check behind her. Karkat kneels over settling Rose against the wall before rushing over to her. "What the fuck Aradia!?" His eyes are wide as he reaches out, stopping before touching the blackened skin on her arms. "Why would you save me? I thought we had a deal!"

Aradia grins. Coughing as she runs a dry tongue across splitting lips. "Didn't you know Karkat?" She coughs again her weight overpowering her wobbly arms as she falls forward face nearly connecting with the floor as his arms wrap tightly around her pulling her head into his lap. 

"Didn't I know what? What the fuck are you even talking about!?" Karkat bites at his lip with sharp fangs as red drips down from his cheek to land on her own.

Aradia's smile softens as the blur of her vision darkens more and she closes her eyes to fight the dizziness. "I always let you win."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooohhh a savior with a golden weapon? Who could it be!?  
> Today's fantroll is Aurugi Agitat owned by rubiedragon from fanfiction.net
> 
> The next chapter?  
> Follow Aranea's Team  
> Follow Calliope's Team


	33. Patient Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author has more fun writing then she's had in a really long time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!! So I've been asked a couple times for a complete list of everyone and their powers! I posted a list of it on my tumblr a while back that had everyone so far except handmaiden who appeared last chapter. Would you guys like me to do an intermission post after this one with a list of everyone and their powers as of now?
> 
> The winning chapter?   
> Follow Calliope's Team!

The goddess of Patience takes her time as she walks along the stone path leading to her genetic donor's Palace. She hums to herself leaning over to pat at a stubborn glowing white moon flower as it peeks through the cracks in the walkway. 

"What the fuck are you DOING Calliope!?" Caliborn growls stomping back to stand before her, one robotic foot coming down to crush the persistent flower. A frown creases Calliope's lip as she sighs pushing herself up and brushing off her dress. "The only reason I agreed to go alone with this goodie goodie plan is because I want to be the King down here. So lets GO GET MY CROWN!"

She sighs running a hand through her hair and brushes past him walking down the way to meet up with Gamzee. "You should have patience brother. All good things come to those who wait." Gamzee's grin is lopsided as he turns to shuffle behind her leaving Caliborn to have to jog to catch up.

"Patience is YOUR thing! I just want to kill stuff!" He scoffed slowing down from his jog to walk beside her.

A smirk tilts the corner of her lip as she turns to go through the gates of the palace. A large garden set before them, almost all the fog and lusus blocked out on all sides by large rock walls. The palace looks like a castle of old made of rock towering up above the rest of the underworld. "Yes because 'just wanting to kill stuff' with no plan worked so well for you last time dear brother." she taps his leg with her wand, a hollow echo sounding off of it to emphasize her point. 

Caliborne snatches at the large gun strapped to his back turning it to point at his sister with a scream of frustration. "Be careful I don't Kill you before we Kill Dad!" Gamzee honks in the background drawing their eyes to him. His own half lidded eyes focused ahead of them. Both turn their heads to follow his line of sight their own going wide when they settle on the god before them. 

He's huge, at least three times taller than the towering Gamzee himself, and green. His upper body is nothing but muscle and his bald head looks even more like a skull than Caliborn's own. His eyes practically roll a multitude of colors as puffs of smoke come out of his mouth. He's not wearing a shirt under his long neon green trench coat. The trim flashing with the rolling colors of his eyes. His white pants stretch taunt across the muscles on his legs as he moves to step closer. "You're going to kill me?" His voice echoes through the garden followed by a genuine laugh, tumbling out from his belly.

Caliborn gulps, taking an involuntary step back as his red eyes widen, slowly bleeding to a solid shade. Calliope takes a step forward, delicate fingers wrapped around her wand as she steps up to look up at her father figure. "Lord English. God of Souls. Father. I ask that you please consider your placement at this time and step back allowing us to take over so that we may further assist in the overthrowing of our Queen the Condesce."

Swirling eyes roll down to settle on the young goddess a snarl escaping through sharp fangs as he leans over. "You overstep your bounds daughter. Be careful I don't place you back into them by force." 

An loud echo bounces through the garden as a plethora of bullets ricochet off of the towering god's chest drawing his eyes up to settle on the solid red of his son's. Calliope sighs at her brother's impatience and jumps back to stand beside him, wand raised in preparation. Lord English's head tilts, a grin splitting his boney face as he braces himself, his mouth opening wide a stream of souls gathering at the opening of his mouth, fusing together into a bright light. The gathering only lasts a few seconds before the stream shoots forward towards the two younger gods.

Calliope chants a quick spell souls coming together around her to form a barrier, the beam hits the bubble protecting the two leaving veins of cracks along its surface before bouncing off and crashing into the walls, sending rocks and flowers flying through the underworld. The cracks falter and chip falling to the floor to disappear in puffs of steam as Caliborn lifts his gun up to shoot at Lord English's head. 

A large hand comes up repelling the bullets like they were flies as the giant god steps closer, claws marring the rock surface with every angry step he takes. Calliope begins chanting again, souls starting to gather around them. Lord English reaches out, pressing his palm against the top of the bubble, with an absorbent pop the souls disappear into his hand. "Trying to fight me with my own power as your only defense was a very stupid move. Now I'm going to have to kill both of you."

Calliope smiles, her eyes a normal glow of lime green as they settle on the multicolor of her father's. "Actually father. I was just the decoy."

Lord English stops, his head tilting in confusion for a second before a flare of pain splits through the back of his skull. Caliborn grabs his sister and jumps out of the way, the floor shaking as Lord English falls to one knee, then forward, face cracking hard against the rock where the two were standing just seconds ago. Caliborn sets his sister down lightly on her feet, pulling away leaving only their fingers laced as the two turn to smile at the god of music.

Gamzee honks, two juggling pins held tightly in his right hand splattered with green as he grins over the body in front of them. Calliope walks forward, kneeling over to touch the concave spot on the back of her fathers head, blood pouring out of the wound around it. "I'm glad you two were patient enough for me to learn his weak spot."

Caliborn scowls tightening his hold on her hand. "Just don't think we'll be making a habit of me taking orders from you!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh this chapter was so fun to write and I don't even know why!!
> 
> The next chapter?  
> Follow Meenah's Team  
> Follow Meulin's Team


	34. Controlling Destruction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter hurt me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!!
> 
> The winning vote by only TWO VOTES!  
> Meulin!

The glitter on the walls glints off of Dave's shades as he tries to push himself up off of Meulin's back. "Pounce this is embarrassingly uncool. Put me down." his words go unheard as Meulin turns down another hallway heading for the steps leading down to the dungeons. A loud excited hum echoing down the halls as she turns again, gripping tighter to Dave's legs.

"How do you expect us to get anywhere without being noticed with you carrying me like a sack of sexy potatoes on your back and you humming so loud the whole place can hear you?" Meulin turns yet another corner stopping in a room with a small door on the other end. She grins to herself and steps closer to the door proud that she remembers the palace so well after so long.

A deep chuckle leaks out from under the door causing Dave to freeze and stare with solid wide eyes at the door they're walking closer to, his glasses slipping down his nose. "Pounce.... POUNCE STOP!" he grabs at her hair and yanks it to the best of his power causing her to stop and glare up at him.

"WHAT IS IT DAVE!? WE'RE ALMOST THERE YOU KNOW!" Meulin scowls as Dave's wide eyes stare unflinchingly at the door ahead of them, another chuckle ringing through the room from behind the door. Meulin's scowl turns into a concerned frown as she slowly lowers Dave to his feet, turning with her arms on his shoulders to support him as he wobbles in front of her. "DAVE? DO YOU HEAR SOMETHING?"

Dave moves his hands up to cover her mouth jerking his head to look at the door behind her again. "Be quiet. There.... There's this insane CLOWN down there. That laugh... That guy helped kill me. We can't go down there yet."

Meulin tilts her head, watching his lips before running her tongue out along his palm. He recoils in disgust, wiping his hand along his shirt, teetering backwards away from her, nearly falling from his still unstable legs taking on all of his weight without help. She turns to the door again, then back to Dave, her voice normal in her attempt at whispering. "That clown is not insane." She lets out an annoyed huff before turning back to the door and stomping over to it, flinging it open to slam against the wall.

The laughter stops echoing up the steps as the door bounces back off the wall. Footsteps echo up from the darkness. Dave steps forward, stumbling to his knees his glasses falling to the floor in front of him. The clatter causing him to flinch and freeze up, arms shaking under his weight. The footsteps stop the room falling into a thick silence as excited green eyes and wide solid red ones stare at the opening to the basement below. 

A muffled sound comes from the darkness. Tall lightly curving horns come into view from the darkness followed but untamed curls and a painted face, lips pulled into a strained frown around the string holding them together. Dave gulps, pushing himself up onto shaking legs. "Pounce you have to move! POUNCE!! MEULIN MOVE!!"

A muffled word comes from the bound lips as the clown lunges forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Meulin. An excited squeal fills the room as Meulin's arms wrap around his neck, fingers lacing into the knots of his hair as she buries her face deep within the thick locks. Dave stares dumbfounded as the two spin, Meulin's arms and legs wrapped around the clown's body as she giggles and purrs.

They slowly stop turning and Meulin's bare feet settle back on the floor without a sound. Her hands move up to cup his cheeks, thumb brushing across his stitched lips. "Oh Kurloz... how will anyone hear your beautiful voice now?" The clown gives a sad smile and moves his hands up to cover hers, fingers lacing together as his purple eyes close and he moves into the warmth of her palm.

Dave's mouth opens in confused disgust as he stands awkwardly watching the two snuggle closer in silence. "What the smuppet fuck is going on here?"

Purple eyes turn to stare at him, going wide and bleeding into a solid shape. Meulin reacts, grabbing Kurloz's hair and yanking him back into looking at her. "No Purloz. Baby he's my friend. He brought me here brought me back to my body and back to you."

Kurloz looks down at Meulin, then turns his head over to Dave, he nods slowly to the young man. His arms instinctually go around Meulin's shoulders pulling her against himself as he buries his face in her shoulder. "DAVE! THIS IS MY MATE KURLOZ!"

"You mate helped kill me."

"HE DIDN'T KILL YOU!" A stubborn huff comes out from the goddesses lips as she frowns over her mate's shoulder at Dave. "HE'S NEVER ACTUALLY HURT ANYONE.... except me. BUT THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT! WE WERE.... WELL WE WERE DONG THINGS AND HE LOST CONTROL AND I LOST CONCIOSNESS FOR A WHILE BUT I'M BACK AND THAT'S ALL THAT MAT-"

A splash of olive and purple cut her short as both gods jerk, a sharp edge pointing out of Kurloz's back. A manic chuckle reverberates through the room as Dave steps forward closer to the couple. Kurloz backs up slowly, the sword coming out of his body with a sickening pop as purple blood drips onto the floor. Meulin gulps, looking down at the sword coming out of her stomach with a shaky breath. "Meulin... Fuck we have to get you help let me just... damn it I don't have the remote to call the healers! You! Clown! You have to save her you have to."

The laughter fills the room as a large form steps out from the staircase, untamed hair nearly reaching the floor as the god steps closer. His horns are so tall he has to duck to get through the door and when he stands he's nearly twice as high. The paint on his face looks more like a skull than that of a clowns and the grin splitting across it makes Dave's gut sink. His giant hands wrap around the sword and yank, ripping it out of Meulin her screams echoing through the hallways as she falls forward. Kurloz wraps his arms around her, ignoring his own pain as he sets her lightly against the wall. Solid eyes glaring up at the god above him.

Dave moves quickly, jumping onto the figure nearly three times his own height and grabbing at the sword in his hand. He wraps his fingers around the bloody hilt and pulls in an attempt to free it from the tight grip. The giant god laughs and flicks his arm aside sending the young strider flying across the room to skid on the floor bunching up a fluffy pink rug as he slides across the room to slam into the wall. The god laughs again thick purple tongue moving out to lick his lips as he turns to look at Kurloz and Meulin.

Kurloz stands, eyes flashing a multitude of colors as he moves his hand up, claw catching on the binds of his lips with one swift yank he rips them free, blood instantly welling up from the wounds as he steps closer to the giant god. "Don't move." His voice is quiet, raspy from lack of use. The flashing of his eyes gets brighter as he steps closer. The taller god glaring down at him. 

"You think you can control your maker? Don't make me laugh!" The giant troll grins his hand tightening on the sword. Eyes widening a fraction. 

"Put that sword through your heart." Kurloz stops walking, standing firm in front of the elder god. "Kill yourself Grand Highblood. For the rule of the Queen. You must kill yourself."

Dave stands, stepping closer as he watches the sword move in front of the giant chest, both hands wrapping tightly around the hilt. The god growls "The Condesce will kill you for this. You and you're disgusting low blood mate."

Kurloz smiles, blood dripping from his upper lip at the movement. "The Condesce will have to die too then."

The sword moves, slicing into the large chest, too small to come out the other side. Purple eyes stare down flashing ones as the God of Destruction falls to his knees, the whole room shaking as his face connects with the ground inches away from Kurloz's feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW LONG CHAPTER IS LONG  
> The next chapter?  
> Sass the world as Meenah  
> See what Dirk's up to


	35. Bad Bitch Ruling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys! Sorry I'm so late on this I've had a shitty stream of luck. The shooting pains in my wrist and elbows have gotten worse to the point that I have to keep them bound and lowered as much as possible and I can't pick up anything heavy or even open a bottle of soda. It hurts to type after a while so I've been working on this chapter off and on for a few days now instead of all in one sitting like I usually do.
> 
> On an upside I am going to fandom fest in Louisville Kentucky! If any of you are going make sure to find me and say hi!
> 
> Now that I'm over the introductions!  
> The winning chapter by ONE VOTE AGAIN  
> See what Dirk is up to  
> or however I wrote that... the point is Dirk won by one vote.

Rust colored blood flies around the room, splattering on the already multi colored furniture as laughter fills the air. The laughter dies off into a small giggle as another body is dropped into the growing pile of gods in the center of the room. The owner of the giggles turns, her mane of long curls flipping behind her head to drag on the floor behind her as she walks forward. Her horns are tall and curve slightly as they go up, a sheen of pink glitter sparkling off of them. A golden circlet rests on her forehead above the pink of her eyes. Her black dress is so tight it could practically be called a catsuit, showing every curve in her body light flashing off of the pink sequins decorating it. She grins flashing sparkling white fangs as she steps forward, delicately moving around the splatters of blood on the pink carpeted floor as she heads for the steps leading to her golden throne. 

Dirk glares down the steps at her, lips pulled into a frown as she steps onto the first of twelve stairs. "Are you enjoying the show my prince?" The female continues to grin as she sweeps her arms to signify the bodies behind her. Dirk turns his solid eyes to the pile. Dozens of nameless faces stare with wide open eyes up at him. One with horns that go up into stars and a nice looking leather coat, her rectangular glasses dangling off of her left ear as she's draped on the top of the pile, a bloody hole ripped into her chest where her heart used to be. 

Cold hands wrap around Dirk's chin and yank his face up to glare into the ring of pink eyes. "A prince should always answer his queen when she asks him a question." she purrs out, running her webbed finger affectionately up his jawline to rest on the collar strapped tight around his neck.

Dirk snorts a smirk playing on his lips as he jerks away from her touch. "A woman shouldn't go renaming her pets just because she doesn't like the one he came with. Perhaps you should just take me back to the pound and try again. I'm sure there's a dog out there for you. Perhaps a female one?" A chuckle rolls out as he continues. "Then again I don't think the biggest of female dogs could compete with a bitch like you."

The Queen's eyes start to vein out, splinters of pink taking up the white as her hand collides with his cheek. A loud crack echos through the throne room. "You want me to treat you like a pet then I will! I'll beat your will right out of you until all that's left is the loyal pet your horrid excuse for parents SHOULD have been."

"Striders choose who we're loyal to. You just didn't make the list." Another loud crack as her hand cracks against his cheekbone, a constant thrum of pain pulsing through his face as orange leaks out of the corner of his mouth.

She turns walking back down the steps and around the stack of bodies to the only door in the room. "Bad pets don't get to eat. Lets see how long you last when you're starving." She walks out of the door, leaving it open behind her as she disappears around a corner in the pink hallway. 

A flash of red goes off turning Dirk's attention to his shades sitting on the arm of the throne just out of his reach. "Auto responder, get over here." Another flash of red comes from the center of each lense before a soft hum fills the air. The hum grows louder and the triangles of his shades float up into the air, they move forward dropping to almost hitting the ground when they get to the edge of the chair. They move across the floor stopping in front of Dirk's folded knees. He reaches out, his fingers feeling the warmth of the air holding them up as he wraps his fingers around them. The hum stops as he pulls the sunglasses up and onto his face. Red text flashes across his vision.

That woman puts the psycho is psychotic.

"You can say that again."

Okay. That woman puts the-

"Don't really say it again AR." Dirk chuckles leaning back against the wall, adjusting his position to stretch out his legs. 

I've got a surprise for you.

Dirk raises a brow as he cracks his back with a stretch of his arms. "Oh yeah? And what might that be?"

Why don't you see for yourself.

Dirk blinks slowly, reaching up he pushes a button on the side of his shades to turn the text off and looks up. He turns his head slowly to look around the room. Large windows sit open blowing the sheer pink curtains into a flutter. His eyes move further to the entrance, his jaw dropping as they settle on the mop of untamed black hair and sparkling green eyes.

"Dirk!" Jake runs forward scrambling up the steps to kneel in front of him, setting his guns down on the floor as calloused hands move in front of him, stopping inches away from his face. "Are... are you okay?" 

Red flashes in front of Dirk's vision snapping him out of his shock.

It's a good surprise right?

Dirk reaches up snatching the sunglasses off of his face, flinging them aside as he lunges forward, arms spread to wrap around Jake's neck. A sharp pain pulls through his body as he falls back coughing as his fingers wrap around the collar on his neck. "Fuck... I forgot about this damn thing."

"Dirk?" Jake moves forward his fingers brushing against Dirk's as he touches the collar. "She's got you chained to the wall like a bad dog."

"No dog deserves to be chained and electrocuted every time he moves to the end of his chain." Dirk sighs his fingers wrapping around Jake's. "What are you doing here?"

Jake blinks. "Didn't you know we were coming?"

"Obviously not or I'd have told you to stay home. You shouldn't be here Jake it's too dangerous."

"Not that this isn't the sweetest show in the world but we don't know when the Queen of Mean is going to be back and I'd like to be as far away from here as possible when that happens." Dirk blinks in confusion, moving to look around Jake at the two girls standing in the doorway. The blonde smiles moving shades he remembers making himself up to perch in her hair as she rests a giant gun on her shoulder. The brunette waves shily around the other, blue eyes shifting to the bloody mess in the middle of the room. 

Dirk scoots back a bit, pushing his feet under him to stand and brushes at his pants. "I remember those shades. Auto Responder wouldn't shut up about me making them. You must be Roxy. While I'd love to be as far away from here as possible Miss Lalonde. I'm kind of stuck without a key."

The brunette girl moves forward, going as far around the bodies as she can before running up the steps to stop beside him. "Lean down please." Her voice is small but confident. Dirk leans down slowly. A few scraping sounds later and the collar drops with a thunk onto the floor. The girl grins holding up a silver key. "Some green guy came up to me in the meeting. Called me fat then handed me this. Said it unlocks everything. Then he stormed off like I offended him dragging another green person along with him."

"Now that everyone is free lets say you pick up my boyfriend from the floor there and we can blow this popcicle stand."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's All I got Kids!   
> Today's dead troll was brought to you by 4SnowAngels from fanfiction.net!
> 
> The next chapter?  
> See how Sollux is fairing  
> Bleed some more with Bro


	36. Lighting the Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't even think of a good title for this chapter and that makes me sad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hi everyone! It turns out I'm not dead!! I've just been really fucking busy & shit! Had to complete my Meenah cosplay and I went to fandomfest in Louisville! I got some awesome autographs which include characters from the awesome upon all awesome series of Firefly, Stan Lee himself, and the original green/white power ranger. Who took a picture with me as Meenah for HIS OWN facebook and instigram pages!  
> My doctors appointment for my wrists is coming up on Tuesday! So ready for ANY SORT OF RESULTS!!
> 
> Anyways Ya'll have been nothing but patient with me so allow me to dish out the thing you've all been waiting for!  
> The winning chapter by like a bazillion votes?  
> See what Sollux is up to!!!!
> 
> Here we go!

Neon lights pulse through the hallways, constantly on, but dimming and glowing with a beat all their own. The blue and red veins trailing along the walls with a sickening yellow stain looking almost fluid within them. Sollux leans in to a cluster of tubes, tilting his head in an attempt to grasp what he's seeing. They appear to be tubes, weaving in and out of the pink walls, just a slight trickle of yellow in each one. Most of them were blue or red, but there was at least one of every color.

A cloud almost like a puff of smoke pops up in front of his face as he starts to lean even closer, it sinks in upon itself and pops out again in a perfect circular shape, four dragonfly like wings popping out of it on one side. It flits around his head as he tries to ignore it. After the sixth or seventh pass of the cloud-fairy in his face Sollux groans and swats at it turning with an annoyed huff to his chosen partner.

"Juth becauth I get the refrenth to the game doeth not mean you can conthantly uthe it to get my attention." He scowls as the cloud floats away from him, returning to a simple cloud form and disappearing when it reaches the god in front of him. His hair is choppy in the front and cut uneven, fitting with his mismatched horns. The one on the right barely peeking out of the mess of his hair as the left one continues on a good five more inches above it to a perfect point. His clothing is riddled with tears from their many fights coming here having decided to use himself as a distraction while Sollux did the attacking. A child-like amused grin spreads across his face as he walks on down the hallway waving his hand in a symbol for Sollux to follow.

With an exasperated sigh Sollux follows him through a door. His eyes widen as he takes in the scene around him. The walls are nothing but the brightly lit tubes, all going into various different messes of panels where bodies dangle lifelessly. One is a female, with short hair curling at the ends, spots of rainbows show through the purple tubes taking over her body draining it of it's liquids. Another covered in teal covered tubes has a face unseen from the long bangs draped in front of it, a skirt matching the color of the tubes wrapping tighter around her flutters lightly with each pulse of light. One pile was moving, the tubes slithering in a constant green glow as they constrict upon the body within. Only a limp hand dripping green visble through the mass.

A sound brings Sollux back to his senses as he turns his head from the scene. His partner bends over near one of the forms, wheezes of air filling the room just before another stream of vomit ejects itself from his silent body to join the first on the floor. With a sound of disgust Sollux scrunches up his nose and moves to the center of the room. A rhythmatic thump comes from the largest mass in the middle. Thump thump, thump thump, like a heartbeat it calls to him. He stops and looks up at the body entwined within the mass, tubes of yellow weaving throughout it as the bright red and blue glow thrums in time with the thumps.

The body is tall, malnourished, the skin caved in at the bones to show every detail possible. His body is bare to the world except the tubes weaving in and out of his flesh dragging the mustard shade of his blood out of it. Sollux bites his lip as he looks up at the well known bowl cut and twin sets of horns. "Fuck. Thith ith thome nathty thit... Dude don't touch thith thuff I know ith alive." Sollux glances over his shoulder at his partner watching the mute back up to the center of the room, eyes wide with fear.

"Kill me..." Both gods whip their heads around to stare up at the being in the center of the room. Eyes slowly open into the solid mismatch that Sollux feared he'd see.

He swallows around the lump in his throat and backs up, shaking his head as he stares up at what he used to know as his father figure. Psiioniic turns glassy eyes to follow his movements. Twin tongues darting out in a failed attempt to moisten his lips before he rasps out again. "Kill me."

"Fuck..." Sollux turns looking around. There has to be a way to get him out of here, something that will get these things off before it's to late. Another plead of death echoes through the room as Sollux turns back around, yellow welling up at the corners of his eyes. "Are you fucking kidding me right now? You juth fucking dithapear without a fucking trathe one night leaving me to fend for mythelf ath you thace after your mithing friend? And now I find you here in thith... what the fuck even ith thith thing? And you ethpetht me to juth KILL YOU!?" His lisp grows more prominent as a tear escapes to trail down his cheek. Anger causing pulses of red and blue to swell around his hands.

The sunken in eyes blink for a second, slowly as if its hard to even move such a small part of his body. A small smile tugging at cracked lips. "Even gods do thupid thingth for love."

Sollux screams, falling to his knees as power pulses around him, swirling in an angry dance about his body as he yanks at his hair.

A cloud of dark smoke swirls around him, pulling him closer until he's pressed tightly to a warm chest. His power licking along the skin of the god holding him, slashing it open with ease causing rivlets of red to drip to the floor. A soothing murmur of shooshes whispers into his ear as clawed fingers move carefully to rub at his hair. Sollux shakes for what seems like forever, gripping tightly to the dark cloak thrown over the two as he fights silently within himself to calm down his power. Slowly it fades, going back inside of himself as he gasps for air.

The arms around him loosen, a light press placed to his head between his horns as they stand, the bright light of the room around him coming back into view as the fabric falls to follow its owner as he walks with sure steps up to Psiioniic. A steady hand reaches out and with a comforting stroke to the older god's cheek glows a steady red. The room falls into darkness, the thumping stopping at the same instant so only the dull glow of the cloaked figure casts shadows against the walls. He turns, holding a swirling mass of colors up to his face.

"Karkat?" Sollux shoves himself into standing, teetering as his legs try to deny the sudden movement.

Karkat smiles, lifting his hands up carefully. He watches the colorful swirl move up from his hands, float through the room to rub coldly against one of Sollux's cheeks before disappearing from sight. The red glow starts to fade as Karkat steps closer wrapping his hand around the back of Sollux's neck with sure fingers and dragging him closer. Warm lips press against Sollux's, a tongue darting out almost instantly to lick at his lower lip before drawing away as he opens his mouth to allow admittance.

An annoyed grunt escapes the parted lips as foreheads press together. "You're thill a teath after all thethe yearth KK."

"Not like I had anyone else to learn how to be differently from." Karkat smirks as his cloak swirls with a life of its own around them.

"I do hate to interrupt this fabulous display of a loving couple but I do believe we should get out of here before more guards come?" The soft female voice pierces through their thoughts causing both to jump and turn to stare at Aranea.

"Not to mention its making me seasick."

Arania turns a frown to her partner, tugging at a long braid. "Thats a rude use of a bad pun Meenah. They can't help it they're in love!"

"Whale maybe they could do this at a better time? Like maybe never? This was not the porpoise of me giving him his powers back you know." 

Karkat rolls his eyes and laces his warm fingers between Sollux's, pulling him around the two bickering girls and back out into the hallway on their own. The mute god staying behind with wide eyes as he watches the girls argue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Wasn't that fun?  
> Today we have a bundle of fantrolls!   
> The mute illusionist being owned by my dear friend Andy.   
> The purple blooded troll is Raynok Yuukii who is owned by rainyRay.   
> The teal blood is Danize Presem owned by dragonsHourglass from FF.Net  
> And the poor green blooded hand is owned by xXinsane.rolainXx from FF.net!  
> Thank you for letting me kill your creations!
> 
> The next chapter?  
> Dolorosa be a bad mother figure  
> Dave stumble into something bad


	37. A Good Time for Talking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honestly the title pun kinda sucks this time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll are so fucking patient! I'm so glad you're sticking around! This chapter took me quite a while to type out because my wrists are getting worse. But I have an appointment scheduled to return to the doctors and get the stupid *shudders* nerve testing (a horrid test with needles and shocking) and then we move on to surgeries.
> 
> But enough about me! You're here for the story.   
> Soooo the winning chapter? By two votes!  
> Dave! Walk in on something bad! (or some other wordings of this same effect)

The walls of the hallways are littered with blood, bodies cluttering the floor leaving few places to step as a small group moves along closer to the echoing pleas of mercy. The group is lead by the tall god from John's room in the tattered cloak looking much too much like Karkat, behind him is Kurloz, Meulin and Dave, and in the rear looking curiously at every body they pass. He has brown hair in a bowl cut close to his head with horns going up in a wave above his head and his solid white eyes. His skin is mostly a light grey color but patches of a light human peach shows through in parts on his face and hands. He's wearing a green suit with a logo of a sword with wings on the right breast.

Dave turns with narrowed eyes towards Meulin, clinging in a princess style hold in the arms of her love. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Kurloz snorts out a laugh as Meulin huffs in annoyance. "WHAT PART OF GODDESS OF REPAIR DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND DAVE!? I REPAIRED MY WOUND IT'S NOT THAT HARD!"

"If you can fix your wounds then why are you still screaming and reading my lips instead of just fixing your ears?" He scowls over at her rubbing his slightly pointed ear in mock pain.

"BECAUSE DAVE!" she sighs dramatically kicking her foot in his direction, smirking as he stumbles over the arm of a fallen god on the floor. "I CAN'T REPAIR WHAT I CAN'T SEE! I'M NOT A MAGICIAN!"

"Not to interrupt this thrilling conversation for the fifth time but don't you think in an area with so much bloodshed we should be a bit more cautious with both our movements and the volume of our words?" The god in the back scolds as he leans over a female body with fluffy hair covering her face and indigo blood pooling around her. He glances from her over to the puddle of yellow blood face down on the floor next to her, arms outstretched. "I mean don't get me wrong, I do enjoy seeing the stories unfolding in every body we pass, but I'd rather not join them any time soon."

Dave sticks his tongue out at the god behind them. "We could always put you back in the dungeon."

The white eyes narrow and full lips pout down at Dave as the god straightens his stance and starts following them again. They shove through a doorway narrowly running into the back of the silent leader of their party just in the entrance of the room.

The begging is loud and clear in the room, the voice hoarse with all of the screaming. "PLEASE STOP THIS!! DON'T DO THIS TO HIM! ARE YOU TOO MUCH OF A WIMP TO KILL SOMEONE YOURSELF YOU HAVE TO HIDE BEHIND EVERYONE YOU COME ACROSS AND MAKE THEM DO ALL YOUR DIRTY WORK!?"

The group stares at the scene in front of them. Kurloz slowly putting Meulin down on her feet. Latula and another goddess float in the air, pressed against the ceiling surrounded in a red and blue pulsing glow. The second goddess has long black hair and mismatched horns, one curving in a circle and the other going up into a barbed point at the top. She's sobbing, staring down at the broken body below them, a pool of bright red blood spreading out around him.

Mituna stands below them, hands raised up to point at them, sparks of power weaving out of his flashing eyes. Yellow tears streaming down his face as his body twitches and his hair waves frantically as if an unseen breeze were moving it. The Queen leans against a wall grinning, sharp fangs flashing in the lights as she watches the scene. She waves a hand in the air, her eyes flashing for a moment and the glow around the goddesses disappear, they drop down a few feet before it reappears. 

"You think your petty words will get to me?" she snorts her eyes turning from Latula's down to the group of newcomers. "You're the weakest of them all? What do you have, petty tricks. A waste of a mate for one so powerful. It's a shame he's so broken and can only use his true potential when being controlled by someone else." She pushes off the wall stepping around Mituna, her nails grazing against his shoulder causing him to twitch in an attempt to get away as she walks past.

"Kurloz. Why are my precious prisoners out and about?" She turns pink eyes over to the silent god. "Don't tell me you're so easily swayed by a little bit of pussy. I thought you were stronger than that. Not that it matters to me. You've just brought me more toys to play with."

Mituna jerks, one hand moving to point at the group. A scream echoes through the room followed by a sickening splat. Red splashing in the air quickly mixing with the darker burgundy coming out of the shattered body of the unknown goddess. Teal drips down from Latula's eyes as she screams out again staring down at the bodies below her.

Dave growls grabbing hold of the sword he picked up along the way, his body freezing as flashing light surrounds them. Electric sparks tingle along his body as he fights to move, but each movement only adds more pressure and pain from the lights around him. The queen steps up to the now immobile group tilting her head up at the blonde. "Another one? Hm... seems my goddess of fertility was even more disloyal to me than I first expected."

"I'm surprised anyone is loyal to a fish breath whore like you." Dave sneers down at her, hand twitching on his sword. "Latula's right. You're too weak to do anything on your own. Can't even fight someone who has no powers. Some queen."

She smiles. "Well, I can't have someone else right in my presence now can I?" She turns her head back to facing Mituna. "Drop her."

Mituna's body twitches violently, the hand pointing up towards Latula wavering, sparks of light flashing on and off causing her to drop and catch. A stream of curse words escape from his mouth, almost incoherent in his distress as he keeps fighting. 

Dave stares up at Latula, eyes wide as he watches her wave up and down in the air. The queen growls stomping her foot. "I said DROP HER!" The light around Latula stops, her body plummeting towards the blood stained ground below.

Heat courses through Dave's veins as he grips harder on the hilt of his sword. His vision going blurry as he watches one of his best friends plummet to her death. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" He rips the sword out of it's hilt swinging it towards the Queen, her hand coming up to catch the blade with ease, fuschia dripping from her clutched fist. 

His head pulses, heart beating hard in his chest causing his breath to come into short stuttered gasps. A blur of red on the edge of his sight as the queen's eyes turn to meet his. "Funny. All my years ruling over these weak idiots and I've never gotten to see this with my own eyes."

She turns completely yanking the sword easily out of his shaking hands and throwing it to the floor. "But do you really think in the first time of using your power, you can hold it for this long?"

Dave's eyes, solid red, blink slowly as he looks down at her amused face. He turns his head to look at Mituna, frozen in place, eyes wide, rivulets of tears frozen on his cheeks. Jerking to the side he stares in disbelief at Latula, frozen in the air only a few feet from hitting the ground, the blood from the floor splashing up around her from the force of wind from her descent.

"It seems you're able to stop time itself. But how long will you be able to hold it? Especially against me." She laughs and waves her hand, the air around her going warm for a moment as Latula unfreezes, dropping a few inches before Dave jerks forward regaining control and freezing her again, the red blurring his vision further.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all you're getting!   
> The fantrolls featured in this chapter are Fliita, owned by Yuurei Arashi from ff.  
> Arniss owned by Dwinarnith from AO3.  
> And her matesprit Medeis!!  
> Thats all of the fantrolls that will be in this story! That's it!! ALL WE GOT! THAT'S HOW CLOSE TO THE END WE ARE!!  
> If you're curious for a new story by my I started another AU called Virtual Fantasm! It's a MMO based AU!
> 
> Now then! The next chapter?  
> Continue with Dave's view.  
> Pop in with John!


	38. 38 Time Stands Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author realizes SHE NEVER FUCKING WROTE THIS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Hi! So I'm gonna be blatantly fucking honest with ya'll... I kinda forgot I never finished this fanfic. I am a bad and horrible person for forgetting to finish it, especially so fucking close to the end like are you serious right now!? That being said here is your update, and unless I fail at life again you will get the next one shortly after!
> 
> Also just a bit of FYI all of the chapters from here on out will have the same thing happen in them, they will all end the same, they will just begin in a different point of view.
> 
> That being said. The winning vote by all of them is  
> Stick with Dave's view.

Dave's vision blurs red, he fights to keep his concentration on Latula. Something tickles down his cheeks and neck, slowly moving down. The Queen continues to talk and taunt him but he's stopped listening. All he sees now is Latula, all he hears is her screams, all he knows is that he has to save her.

He's scared. Legit uncool fear. His hands are shaking and his head is throbbing.

"Just let go Dave." Did The Queen even know his name? He can't remember. Either way he's not going to let go. He'll hold on for the rest of his life if he has to. She'll get bored and lose her grip soon, right? Then what? Will he just walk over and catch her? Even with time stopped the force of her fall is still the same, he'd be crushed and she'd still die. 

Fuck. 

No need to think like this now though. One problem at a time.

"I think he's broken." The voice is dull, almost as if it's being heard through a wall or under water. "He's not moving at all."

"Then MAKE him move!" Another voice, this one deeper, male. "He's not broken. Dave won't break."

"Not that I really care or anything," this voice is female, smug. "But I think he's fried his brain."

A loud slam echoes from across the room, causing his concentration to slip. He jerks his head to the sound, seeing only large smears of white and splatters of pink before he flings his concentration back to Latula... who's gone? 

Fuck.

Oh fuck.

Oh god no.

Dave shakes his head and runs over to the bodies on the ground and rubs at his eyes to try to shake away the blurring. He flips over the blood splattered bodies, one by one. Confusion rings through his foggy head. She's not here.

She's not here....

"Dave! Come on man stop ignoring me!" The first voice again. The one that told him to let go. It's so familiar.

"Hey cool kid. Not that I don't appreciate the irony in it, being a war and all. But playing around in blood is so uncool." Dave's eyes shoot up focus in on the voice in front of him. Latula grins down at him, hand out stretched towards his kneeling form. "Thanks for saving me."

"Oh thank God." Dave grabs Latula's hand, yanking at the same time as her to pull himself into standing. He wipes at his cheeks looking down at the dark red smears on his hands. 

"You okay there cool kid? You're kinda crying blood... from your ears too... thats actually pretty cool... Can you even hear me?" Latula's voice grows more distant, a warmth filling Dave's head causing a black fuzz clouding to cover his vision.

He starts to fall forward but cool hands wrap around him, rubbing gently at his back. "Hey man, you want me to get you outta here?"

John. That's who that voice is. He was the one that told him to let go.

"Fuck John. My head hurts." His body grows heavy causing John to squeak out slipping in the puddled blood below them, falling on his butt with a splash of color.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... That's it for that chapter!  
> My horrid attempt at trying to get you to see how Dave is feeling, much clouds in his head dude. He passed the fuck out!
> 
> Okay so the next chapter will be coming up VERY SHORTLY so vote fast!  
> Be Karkat  
> Be Feferi


	39. Sweet Death-ication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I once again wonder how many people actually read these chapter summaries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!! So as I promised here is your update!!
> 
> The winning vote by all of them (again)  
> Be all up in Karkat's view and shit  
> (only y'kno, not in those words)

Karkat let out a smile, more feral than excited as he took a deep breath. The whole palace was filled with blood and death and having his powers back he could practically taste the souls floating around him. He leans down to the next glowing body in his path, reaching down to wrap his fingers around the cool glowing orb of bright blue before him. He pulls the orb up to his mouth and with a quick glance over to Sollux to verify he wasn't looking, he swallows the wiggling soul.

Power flares around him, the soul mingling in with the other souls he's consumed on his walk of the castle causing the dark cloak of energy around him move with a life of its own. He missed this. All those years of living as a mortal he told himself he didn't need his powers and he was content living his life with his pets and romcoms, but it was a lie. Karkat WAS Death. Not the Condesce, him. 

He looks down at a melted pile of multicolored mush that used to be a god, the corrupt way she used the powers of death made his blood boil. Death was serene, it was cold and inviting. Not the end, not by a long shot because most souls after making their peace would move on and be reborn into a new life. He sighed running his hand over the remains, not surprised when he found it void of a soul.

"Hey KK..." Sollux places a hand on his sholder waking him from his angry thoughts. "I know you thaid that AA sathrifithed herthelf for you. I know it maketh thenth. Thath tho thomething AA would do. But, ith the okay? Like... Her thoul and thit?"

Karkat blinks the solid red of his eyes swirling with power underneith. He didn't even think about searching for Aradia's soul once his power returned. He was too high on the abundance of death around him to think of much else other than getting more power, and taking whats his. He reaches up, placing his hand on top of the one on his shoulder and squeezing it before closing his eyes. The darkness around him spreads out, souls splitting to rush through the halls in search. Dark shadows darting from body to body, returning after they've finished the section of the castle they were sent to.

When the last soul returned melding back with the others his eyes open. Swirls of color dance behind the red of his eyes as he turns to look into the worried eyes of his love. "She's not here."

"Excuthe me?"

Karkat blinks slowly turning to look down the hall. "She's not here, I found the souls of hundreds of gods. Lusus are everywhere swarming the palace coming in from an opened gate to the underworld, but Aradia isn't here. Her body is gone and not even a trace of her soul is left behind from where she saved me."

Sollux pulled his hand away, wiping it off unconsciously on his shirt. "What exathly doeth that mean?"

Karkat grins turning to face Sollux full on. "It means that she isn't dead. Even if her body was moved in her death it would still leave a trail behind until someone found her soul, but there is nothing. Aradia didn't die."

Sollux stares down the hallway, the words sinking in as he watches a flutter of white wings dash past at the intersection of halls. "Okay, so she's alive. Thath great one leth thing I have to think about. I have one more question."

Karkat snorts rolling his eyes. "What the fuck could you possibly want to know now?"

"What the fuck is going on?"

Karkat slaps his forehead with a force so hard the sound echoes down the hall causing a large white wolf to turn and peek down the hall at them. "Didn't you pay any fucking attention at all during that clusterfuck of a gathering Dolorosa called a war meeting?"

A yellow flush spreads across Sollux's cheeks as he scratches the back of his head looking up at the ceiling in guilt. "I had better thingth to pay attention to."

"Oh my glub Sollux that line was so cheesy you could make a moon out of it." The female voice rings through the hallways filled with glitter and laughter. Both boys turn to look with wide eyes at the girl at the end of the hall. Feferi waves in excitement back at them. Eridan scowling behind her as the two stand nearly surrounded by white from all of the Lusus with them.

"In case you two weren't aware there is still a war going on." Eridan snorts earning a quick elbow to the gut from his female companion.

"Not that I don't enjoy SEAing you guys splashing around like a newly hatched fish, but Eridan is right. It's time for the main event. Calliope and Calliborn are keeping the gates to the underworld open and all of the Lusus are storming the castle. Its time to meet up with Meenah and take on the Queen." Feferi giggles at her own puns causing the three men to groan. "Come on boys lets get swimming up stream before Meenah gets impatient and dives in the battle without us!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM Chapter over~  
> My dogs incessant need to steal my left arm away from the keyboard made this chapter exceedingly annoying to write but I'm still proud of it. Also this story was originally planned to end like 5 chapters ago but yet here I am still going! I was going to make the next chapter the last one but now I wanna add more and more! That being said, your voting options for this chapter are:
> 
> Drag Dave around As John  
> Be a relatively bad dog/god/person/thing as Bec Noir


	40. The Cake is a Lie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author gives exciting news at the end of it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!!  
> Thought I forgot about you again didn't you!?  
> NOOOOPE! I just got hella busy (and a small case of writers block)  
> BUT I DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT YOU AGAIN I PROMISE!!  
> That being said I have super exciting personal news I'll give you guys at the end of the chapter!
> 
> Now then, the winner by all but 3 votes!  
> Drag Dave around as John.

"What a drag." John mutters to himself as he tromps through the empty hallway. Dave flung over his shoulder, almost hitting the hammer strapped to his back with every step. A small peek of color flashes through as his hair moves, hands dangling down, and drops of dark red slowly dripping in a trial behind him. "I was hopeing we'd kick butt and save the world together Dave, like best buds do in video games... that would be awesome..."

John lets out an over dramatic sigh as he turns a corner nearly tripping over an arm with no body in sight. A small shudder escapes him as he steps over it. "Though I have to admit, video games got nothing on the brutality of it all... Hey Dave... You wanna play Mario Party when we get back? I mean... If we get back... We will get back right Dave? I mean we're winning! There is no way we can lose now! I'm not even getting attacked anymore! All that's left is the dumb Queen... right Dave?"

John steps into a more open area careful to move around the crumpled body of a female god, a gaping hole in her chest where her heart should have been. "I bet I'll win in Mario Party. I'm gonna get all the stars and make you do my chores for me for losing so badly. But... lets not play the cake level okay Dave? I know you think its funny but I really don't like cake. Not even the video game kind. Guess its a god thing the cake at the end of portal is a lie huh Dave?"

"The cake is not a lie dude."

"The cake is totally a lie! All those videos are just people being bored and making up that cake scene! No way do you actually get a cake at the end of the game if you get a perfect score! Who would even want that? Cake is so gro... DAVE!?"

A snort of laughter comes from behind John's back as he stops, Dave pushing himself up and craning his neck to look at the back of John's head. "You're not a very good prince charming John. Don't you know you're supposed to carry me princess style off into the sunset. I don't feel like a princess right now John. I want to be a pretty princess too. Give me my happily ever after! Carry me off into the sunset in both of your arms like a delicate lady then kiss me at the top of the hill on your faithful steed! Whisk me away to your castle!"

"Eww Dave." John drops him unceremoniously onto the ground, a subtle oomph of noise coming out of the blonde as he hits the floor. "Why would I want you for my princess? Don't you know I like em older?"

Dave pushes himself up to stand and rubs his ass. "You're so mean to me Egbert. Can't even give a girl her dream come true."

John snorts. "It's no dream come true if I'm married to you."

"Ouch." Dave whines dramatically. "You hurt me man."

John grins as Dave clutches his hands to his chest. "Speaking of hurting. How do you feel? You had us all worried. Even your brother looked scared."

"Bro? Scared! Nah, Bro doesn't get scared. He's cool as a cucumber, no emotions there. All straight faced business." Dave snorts running his hand through his hair, stopping when it collides with a sticky slightly soft protrusion from his head. He tilts his head in confusion, his fingers delicately following the curve coming out of his head.

John shakes his head and looks around, seeing a room he remembered being in he grabs Dave's hand and drags him down the hall towards it. He pushes the door open to the bathroom bringing Dave inside and shoving him in front of the mirror.

Dave stares at his reflection. His skin pale, even for him, and smeared with blood, mostly a dark crimson red shade smeared across his cheeks and neck. His eyes are normal, almost human except the shade. His hair is randomly plastered to his head in spots, held there with quickly drying blood he's determined to be his own, and horns coming up from the top of his head, curving a small way up to stop just above his ears. Small square like shapes pop out randomly along the curve of his horns making them look almost like gears sticking out of his head.

He reaches up pushing a finger into one of them, feeling a slight, almost skin over bone give under his touch. He smirks, his teeth stained red as he stares at his reflection. "Well shit John... I'm a god. Why aren't you bowing down to me Egbert. Worship me dude, I deserve it."

John snorts out a sarcastic laugh, pulling his feet up to sit cross-legged in the air, floating casually behind Dave. "Like I'd worship you. You're so lame Dave. I have better things to do."

Dave pokes at his horn again. "Dude, touch my horn it feels awesome."

"I already know what it feels like Dave. Bro let me touch his." John yawns scratching the back of his head.

"I'm sure he let you touch other things too." Dave turns around with a smirk, slipping into a look of shock. "Egbert, you're not touching anything." He crouches down, waving his arms under John's body in confusion.

John grins his head moving to put his feet back on the ground. "Isn't it awesome? I ran into that girl with the puffy hair. Fairy or something like that... She like, put her hands on my head like this." John shoves his hand into Dave's face. "And then I felt this like, POP right here." He moves his hand to point at his chest. "Then it was like MAGIC I could just FLY no training needed I was just FLOATING! Its so fun Dave."

Dave rolls his eyes turning to walk out the door. "Lucky you, you get your face molested and can fly. I gotta have my skull ripped open like a damn grapefruit on a juicer and almost lose one of my best friends... That's how you saved her! You fucking swooped her up like a damn bird catching a fish, didn't you Egbuns?"

John groans dramatically at the insult and walks behind Dave, grinning as they head back the way they came. "I had to die for this Dave. I died! I know the story. You're the one that told it to me! Don't you feel bad for me?"

A growl echoes through the halls causing both boys to stop mid step, turning their heads simultaneously to look behind them. They stare into the too-familiar solid black eyes, almost disappearing into the fur of its dog-like head. "Funny I thought I killed both of you." The words seep out of the dripping fangs, tongue moving out to lick the drool from its fangs as it grins widely.

John gulps, going pale as he stares at the creature that has haunted his dreams every night since the death of his parents. 

The dog grins, dragging his sword across the floor as he steps closer and closer to the two. "That's okay though. This just means I get to kill you again." Black wings spread out sending a few feathers falling to the floor as he lunges forward sword out and ready."

"Get out of here Egbert." Dave shoves John out of the way, pressing himself against the wall as a wing cracks him hard on the shoulder.

John sits on the floor shaking, staring with wide eyes mostly white as he watches the dog turn and raise it's sword again. "EGBERT GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE."

John shakes his head violently. "No! He killed you Dave! I won't let him do it again. We're doing this." He pushes himself up on shaky legs reaching behind him to grab the handle of his hammer. "Just like in the video games!"

Dave grins and holds his hands up in fists in front of his face, bending his knees in preparation. "Fuck man guess we gotta beat this game and get the cake on the end then." John makes a disgusted face as he swings his hammer out to hold in front of him.

"The cake is a lie Dave, everyone knows that."

The dog lunges forward, both boys darting to opposite sides of the hall, ducking down to avoid the wings. John turns swinging his hammer up with as much force as he could, colliding with a loud crack with an outstretched wing, sending feathers flying into the air as the dog howls out in pain. It jerks around flinging its broken wing behind it and swiping its sword rapidly at John. The dark haired boy squeaks in surprise walking backwards down the hall as fast as he can as the sword swipes closer and closer to his face.

Dave runs and lunges, wrapping his arms around the dog's neck and yanking back causing the sword to swipe just over John's head, a few strands of dark hair falling down from its blade. "STOP THAT YOU DUMB MUTT!"

The dog stops struggling, causing both boys to blink in confusion, tilting their heads. John slowly pulls himself up into standing as Dave carefully pulls his arms back. "I think you broke him Dave." John waves his hand in front of the frozen dog's face, a look of rage spread across it's muzzle as its bent back in an awkward angle, wing dangling limply onto the floor. 

Dave moves around to stand next to John. "Face it John, I'm just so cool that just my touch can freeze a man... dog... beast thing... what even is this?"

John shrugs grabbing at the dog's hand and slowly pulling the fingers off of it's sword. "It's gonna be dead soon, that's all that matters."

Dave nods and grabs the handle of the sword from its claws watching for movement as he pulls it to his chest, moving so he can grip it blade down. He pulls the sword up over his head aiming the tip at the dog's chest before jerking it down, splatters of black coating both boys as the dog unfreezes with a Jerk and crumples to the ground, sword slipping out of Dave's fingers as it falls.

John makes a face and wipes at the blood, scowling further as it just smears more blood onto him. "I told you the cake was a lie Dave."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THAT WAS A REALLY LONG CHAPTER LIKE WOW  
> But man was it fun to write!  
> okay so EXCITING NEWS TIME!!  
> I'm pregnant guys!! It's early on I'm only about 6 weeks in, my first Doctors appointment is late February! I'm so excited for my little unborn grubling.
> 
> Okay enough about me.  
> The next chapter:  
> Be the pissed off Queen  
> Command an army as Feferi and Meenah
> 
> UNTIL NEXT TIME


	41. 41: Ready? Fight!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big battle, lots of death, all the magic. Don't expect much i really hate fight scenes...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Its been two fucking years! I have no computer!! I'm two years behind on the now completed homestuck, and my daughter is perfect in every way!! That being said I am writing this on my cellphone in this awesome app called werdsmith and I don't have spelling and grammar check so forgive me for my flaws. 
> 
> Also, I honestly have no fucking clue what option won so I'm just gonna combine them together considering there is only one chapter left after this one which I will hopefully be posting very soon so I can end the fic for all of you. 
> 
> You have all been wonderful patient saints and I love you!!

Royalty: Have an all out motha fuckin BRAWL!!

Flashes of white from various animals dart across the large room. Gods of all shapes, sizes, and varieties come in from all openings like a flood colliding in splashes of multicolor blood. 

In the center of the chaos three forms stood. The queen with her hair billowing behind her like it has a life of it's own. Feferi, her hands glowing a light pink as she keeps the battle away with help from the many lusus. And Meenah, standing with a grin of sassy triumph on her painted lips, and her 2x3dent in her hand pointed both up and down. 

Sparks of power clash between them as they fight with magic. Many collisions exploding and flying into the crowd. One causes a god with golden eyes and short hair, horns in a small spiral above his ears, to just vanish in a puff of smoke leaving only a pile of dust behind. 

Another catches a female with long hair and short spiky horns to burst into flames, the flames spreading violently to anyone who touches them. 

John and Dave rush into the room, stopping in shock at the horror around them John quickly jumps into the fray stopping a dagger from going into the back of Jake's head as he shooks down a god going for Dirk. 

Dave bites his lip, fangs piercing the skin instantly causing him to flinch then look up with wide excited eyes. He spreads his hands out, smirks as his eyes swirl into a cloudy constant swirl of red. "Okay Dave, this is it. This is your chance to be the big bad hero Bro trained you to be. The end is here but not for you. No, you will carry on sweep the princess off her feet and take this world by storm. You are Dave. Fucking. Strider. And you are going to save the world." 

He takes a deep breath.

Nods to himself. 

"EVERYBODY FREEZE!!!" He closes his eyes, feeling a pulse come from his chest and out of his hands. Silence follows. 

Slowly Dave opens his eyes looking around him. There was no movement. People were frozen mid attack, Bird lusus in the air mid flap, it was like a painting all around him. He put his hands down slowly. Walks slowly up to John who's kneeling on the ground reaching for his fallen bloody hammer. 

He puts his hand in John's blood caked hair. "Dude, wake up." John grabs his hammer and swings coming mere centimeters from breaking Dave's nose as he jumps back. 

John blinks in surprise opening his mouth to speak just as a loud female laugh rings through the silent room. Both boys turn towards the sound, eyes wide as they settle on the Queen walking towards them. 

Randomly in her path she'll stop and touch someone. With a sizzle and a pop they shrivel up and fall to the ground as a pile of colored ash. "This is quite the awkward pause. I'm sure you meant to help all these people. But instead you've sentenced them all to death." 

She reaches out a delicate hand, her long hand pauses, fingernail brushing the bill of Bro's cap. "How tragic will it be when I kill him? Right in front of the two who care most for him?" 

John rushes towards her, hammer up and ready to swing. Dave focuses his power on the Queen, trying to stop her but it bounces off falling to the ground like a bomb of glitter. 

"Oh dear, the fear just makes your heart... stop?" The Queen purrs, as John freezes mid air. She grins looking over at Dave. "You don't stand a chance boy. You should just give up and kill yourself now." 

"That's a pretty Shell-f centered comment." Feferi's voice rings out just as three golden points pop out of the Queen's chest. Bright pink trickles down from under the spots, turning into heavy rivlets as the gold disappears. The Queen falls to her knees, coughing splatters of fuschia on the floor. 

Feferi smiles brightly, propping the 2x3dent on her shoulder and waving happily to Dave. 

"You can't kill me. You don't have the power!!" The Queen screams, power swirling around her like a tornado as she slowly pushes herself to stand." 

"That's true," Feferi says, smile still in place. "But he does." She points with her free hand to the Queen's side. 

The Queen's eyes widen in absolute fear as they meet with Karkat's, a glare plastered on his brow as he reaches his hand slowly out to press a single finger against the queen's forehead. Her eyes turn solid black then melt away like acid, the rest of her body follows leaving only a pink glow behind. 

Karkat reaches his other hand out and slowly molds the glow into a large orb. Then puts his hands in the center of it ripping it into two. Sparks fizzle on the broken edge as he reaches out one hand to Feferi. "The crown, for weakening the Queen and distracting her." He then moves through the waves of still frozen bodies to Meenah who's hand currently presses into Kankri's face sending a spark to unfreeze him. "The crown, for awakening me and allowing me the final blow, even though you could have done it yourself." 

"Actually... The statistics of Meenah winning using the powers of death without practicing with them first is about 1 in 25. So really..." 

"Oh my glub!" Meenah shoves her hand back in Kankri's face re-freezing him in time. "I can't even deal with him right now." She reaches out and grabs the sparking half orb and presses it to her chest at the same time as Feferi. 

Both princesses float into the air, a pink glow surrounding them. Sparks flash from their feet, stomach, hands, chest, and eyes. Then into the air above them exploding like a firework leaving a small golden tiara behind to float onto their heads. Their hair starts to move steadily on its own as they settle back to their feet. 

"This shore is going to take some getting used to." Meenah mutters as she looks down at her braid twitching below her on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! That's it!!!!
> 
> What's that?
> 
> Its not it?
> 
> I said earlier on this same chapter post that there was one more chapter?
> 
> Damn... Guess I better give you options then huh? 
> 
> Okay then:   
> Nikki: give us a happy ending.  
> Nikki: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST GIVE US A HAPPY ENDING I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE CLIFFHANGERS ON FANFICS ARE SO FUCKING INFURIATING WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME FOR SO LONG????


	42. 42 the end, or not?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fucking end yo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie to ya'll i wrote this shit chapter like two months ago and forgot to post it. 
> 
> This is it my loves. The end!! Thank you for putting up with me all these years! I love you all and hope you enjoyed your extended stay in my storyworld. 
> 
>  
> 
> Nikki: GIVE YOUR READERS A FUCKING ENDING YOU DUMB BITCH

The castle glitters brightly, no trace of blood left on it's floor or walls. Flowers and lace in red and blue hand from the walls, ceiling, cover the tables, and even the floors. 

Gods and humans fill the main ballroom, dressed in their finest glitters and golds they dance to the music coming from speakers hanging around. They all connect to ra booth in the corner where the finest of dj equipment is set up, the gear shaped horned head of the dj bobs with the beat of the music as he works. 

In the center of the room a muscular form sweats nervously, soaking his tuxedo as he spins awkwardly with his finely dressed metallic bride. Mismatched eyes watch them from the wall, a drink in his hand as he smiles slightly. 

"Hey fuckface, you sure you dont regret any of this?" Karkat walks over leaning against the wall next to Sollux glancing from the corner of his eye over at him. 

"Regret? Pleath Kk. The ith my ex, who I never LOVED, the was like a thither to me. I'm happy the ith happy." Sollux smirks mischeviously looking over at Karkat. "Bethide that. I've got thomeone much better. And I'm hoping he'll leave thith wedding with me now and make hith inthult a reality." 

Karkat blinks, then blushes wide eyed. He looks around swiftly to see if anyone picked up on their conversation. Then with a barely held in grin he grabbed Sollux's hand and started dragging him towards the door passing two queens in pink as they go. 

"You gonna let them know we heard that?" Feferi giggles watching the two disappear through the door. 

"Nah, I'll leave them be for now, then reel them in at the perfect oppertunity to embarass them." Meenah grins mischeviously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end
> 
> That's it. It's all I got!   
> I hope you enjoyed this terrible story!


End file.
